Shankar Rao in protocol row with Passport Chief

HYDERABAD: Textiles and handlooms minister P Shankar Rao fumed at Hyderabad regional passport officer (RPO) K Srikar Reddy for the latter’s ‘failure’ to follow protocol when the former visited the office Friday morning.He also gave it a casteist twist.“I will talk to the External Affairs Ministry. You tried to ignore me even after my introduction and failed to receive me as per protocol. You have shown your upper caste attitude,” remarked the minister, a Dalit.The minister, MLA for Secunderabad Cantonment, made a surprise visit to the Regional Passport Office to enquire about the grievances of passport applicants.He heard the complaints of applicants from various parts of the state.The minister, accompanied by a battery of mediapersons, went into the office of Srikar Reddy to bring the complaints to the latter’s notice. The issue took a different turn as the minister became miffed by the officer’s ‘behaviour’ and his ‘failure’ to look into applicants’ complaints.Srikar Reddy tried to present his case, but the minister was in no mood to listen and berated the RPO for his ‘rude behaviour’.“I have asked you to look at any one of the CDs recorded by TV channels relating to applicants’ complaints. Several applicants are forced to visit the passport office for months together to rectify small errors in their passports.You are not up to the mark. You have failed to follow protocol. I will talk to the External Affairs Ministry,” he warned.