Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

In an incident quite ironical to the much popular campaigns of BJP government such as Digital India and Transforming India, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal had to climb a tree to catch signals on his mobile.

Minister of State for Finance was visiting a village in his parliamentary constituency Bikaner on Sunday as part of a media campaign when he lost the network. While hearing the grievances of the villagers at Dhoolia village in Bikaner located in the middle of sand dunes, minister dialled the concerned number of the government official and he was unable to connect due to poor signal.

As villagers kept him complaining about the poor health facilities, the minister tried to contact Medical officer several times and was unable to connect. However, a few villagers told him that it’s hard to catch signal in the village but one can make it happen from a certain height and he should climb a tree. Unable to reach the network, a 62-year-old minister followed the instructions of villagers and tried to climb the tree. "Minister realised that he’s unable to climb the tree so he asked for a ladder and villagers in no time provided him with one. Villagers erected the ladder with the tree trunk and minister climbed the tree", an eyewitness told DH.

Interestingly after climbing the tree, his phone started detecting the signals and minister was able to make a phone call. The video showing the minister balancing himself on the ladder and speaking to officials went viral on the social media.

However his climbing the tree became blessing in disguise for the villagers as he announced setting up of mobile towers in the villages within three months. "Villagers were hardly amused to see a minister climbing a tree becauseits a routine for them. Minister realised the hardships of the village and has promised to bring cable connection, drinking water and mobile towers and electricity cables in next few months," said Bharat lal, a teacher who was present at the spot.