Singrauli: A viral video from Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh has triggered a political controversy after municipal fire brigade personnel were allegedly seen using water from an emergency vehicle to wash a Toyota Innova reportedly belonging to BJP MLA Ramniwas Shah outside his government residence.
The footage, which surfaced on social media on August 26, appears to show three municipal personnel spraying water on the vehicle through a hose connected to a fire tender. The video has raised questions over whether a government emergency resource was used for a private purpose.
The controversy comes amid growing demands for accountability from the opposition, which has questioned how a fire brigade vehicle and municipal staff came to be involved in cleaning a politician’s car.
Shah, however, has denied knowing about the incident, the Singrauli MLA said he was away attending several programmes when the alleged incident took place. He said he had returned from Bhopal and subsequently attended a cycle distribution programme, a function marking the birth anniversary of B.P. Mandal and a peace committee meeting.
According to Shah, he had simply asked his driver to bring the vehicle on time. He said he did not know how or why the car was washed and suggested that the driver or municipal officials would be in a better position to explain what happened.
Shah also questioned the political criticism, saying that an MLA would not personally stand outside and wash his own vehicle. He suggested that the fire brigade may have reached the location for another reason, including a possible water related issue, and said any lapse should be investigated.
Singrauli Municipal Corporation Commissioner Savita Pradhan told that she was unaware of the incident. No official inquiry, disciplinary action or other administrative action had been confirmed by authorities as of August 26.
The video has nevertheless intensified the political debate. Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar criticised the alleged use of an emergency vehicle for a private car and questioned whether public resources were being diverted for political convenience.
At this stage, the video establishes that personnel appear to be using a fire tender to spray water on the vehicle, but responsibility for authorising the alleged use has not been officially established. The circumstances, including who called the vehicle and whether any municipal rule was violated, remain unanswered.
The matter is therefore likely to hinge on an official verification of the footage, the vehicle’s deployment records and statements from the municipal staff and driver.
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