Confessions of a Minister’s Peon

“The Shiv Sena and BJP had the worst ministers. They were very insulting and used abusive language”

Though the peon is at the lowest rung at Mantralaya, the Maharashtra state government headquarters, his is a powerful job. We wait at the door and take chits from people to ministers or their secretaries. We know everything about what happens in a minister’s cabin. When a minister is busy negotiating secret deals, we are instructed to say that he is not in. I have even couriered money from a minister to his home.

My neighbours keep asking if I get bribes. I used to do an honest job, but seeing my colleagues take money to pass on information, I too do the same now. See, it is not much. Maybe Rs 50 or 100 to reveal who is going to a certain minister’s cabin. Businessmen are the biggest source of revenue. Next is the media. Some people from the English media give us tips for information. But they only pay Rs 10 or 20.

Many ministers give us the gifts they receive. They ask us to share it with others in the office. Congress ministers are really khandani, they treat us very well. The Shiv Sena and BJP had the worst ministers. They were very insulting and used abusive language. Many of us do not like Patangrao Kadam. He is a very rude man who abuses a lot.

I have worked at various departments at Mantralaya and seen many chief ministers. Sharad Pawar was the best CM. He respected even the worker at the lowest rung. All peons are scared of working for Narayan Rane and Ajit Pawar. They are gentlemen but very strict and do not tolerate inefficiency. If you do good work, they respect you.

My colleagues and I always share information about our bosses. It helps to know the nature of a person. There is corruption at every corner of Mantralaya, and if the ACB raids the cabins of private secretaries of ministers, they will unearth a gold mine. In many cases, the PAs are greedy and the unsuspecting ministers get a bad name.

(This peon has been working at Mantralaya for more than two decades)

As told to Haima Deshpande

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