Halting traffic, delaying flights for ministers 'on duty' is fine: Uma Bharti

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Days after Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh banned the use of red beacon atop government vehicles, Union Minister Uma Bharti on Monday expressed dissent over the decision, saying that delaying flights and stopping traffic for ministers is not a big issue.

"If any minister is going for his duty, then red beacon and stopping traffic is fine and even a flight can get delayed by five to seven minutes if minister is going to attend crucial meet because it might result in loss of crores of Rupees," Bharti told media here.

However, Bharti further said that if a minister is going for any personal visit, then this privilege should not be given to them.

In its first cabinet meeting, chaired by Singh, the newly formed Punjab government decided to completely shun the VIP culture by removing the red, yellow and blue beacons from their official vehicles.

"My cabinet has decided to rid the state of VIP culture. All beacon lights to be removed from vehicles of Ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats," Singh had tweeted.

Soon after the decision beacons were removed from the vehicles of the Chief Minister and other members of the council of ministers yesterday itself.