Mau: Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma has sparked a controversy after a video surfaced showing him brushing aside complaints about poor electricity supply during a visit to Suragpur village. The video, which quickly went viral on social media, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and netizens alike.
In the now widely circulated footage, local residents can be seen pleading with the minister to resolve the issue of erratic electricity in their area, reportedly limited to just three hours a day. Instead of offering a concrete assurance or addressing the problem, Minister Sharma responded by raising religious slogans — chanting “Boliye Shankar Bhagwan Ki Jai, Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bajrang Bali Ki” — and promptly got into his car and left, leaving residents stunned and unheard.
People : Sir, we are getting Electricity for only 3 hours a day. Please do something, our livelihood is being affected
— 🐧 (@DrJain21) July 10, 2025
Minister : Say "Jai Shri Ram", "Jai Bajrangbali"!
You get what you vote for 🙌 pic.twitter.com/X1Iu9EgdyO
The incident has triggered backlash from various corners, with many questioning the minister’s approach to governance. Citizens and political opponents alike have slammed Sharma for ignoring a genuine civic issue in favour of religious theatrics. Several social media users accused him of deflecting from accountability, while others questioned the government’s seriousness about resolving basic infrastructure issues in rural Uttar Pradesh.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the incident. In a sharply worded post, the party wrote: “This is UP’s Energy Minister and PM Modi’s close aide, AK Sharma. People are suffering under extreme power cuts and pleading for help. But instead of offering a solution, the minister walks away after chanting slogans.”
This isn’t the first time Sharma has spoken strongly on the issue of power supply. In March 2025, while addressing a public event in his hometown Mau, he had taken a tough stance, warning electricity department officials of strict action in case of continued power failures. He claimed that in his tenure, more than 3,000 officials had already been suspended due to negligence.
“When I became a minister, wires were broken, poles were falling, and transformers were overloaded,” Sharma had said at the time. He added that the government had since taken significant steps toward infrastructure improvements, and that districts like Mau, Ghazipur, and Dohrighat should now be receiving uninterrupted power, especially in areas marked for 24-hour electricity.
However, the latest incident has once again brought into focus the widening gap between official claims and ground reality. Residents of Suragpur and surrounding villages continue to face long hours without electricity during the peak of summer, leading to frustration and health concerns.
