Video: Agra BJP councillor cuts birthday cake in drain to protest civic neglect
A BJP councillor, Kishan Nayak, in Agra cut his birthday cake while standing in a dirty drain to protest alleged neglect. The video has triggered fresh questions over sanitation and civic response in the city.
A BJP councillor in Agra staged an unusual protest against the alleged poor sanitation conditions in his ward by cutting his birthday cake while standing inside a dirty drain.
Kishan Nayak, councillor from Ward 12, entered a drain in New Vijay Nagar Colony and celebrated his birthday there, amid claimed that the drain had not been cleaned despite repeated complaints to higher authorities. The video of the protest has gone viral on social media.
The incident took place at the Langde Ki Chowki drain and is around two kilometres long, with nearly 65 per cent of its stretch reportedly covered underground. Local residents have alleged that the underground portion has not been properly cleaned for the past 14 years, leading to heavy accumulation of silt.
Residents claim that one to three feet of silt has accumulated in parts of the drain, while the open sections also remain in poor condition.
Nayak alleged that he had raised the issue with the Agra Municipal Corporation several times but no concrete action was taken. He claimed that he had submitted around 12 complaints and approached officials from different departments, including the health department and Smart City management, but the cleaning work never started.
Frustrated over the lack of action, the councillor reached the drain on Thursday along with supporters and local residents. A table was placed inside the drain, and a birthday cake was kept on it. Nayak then stood in the drain and cut the cake as part of his protest.
During the demonstration, residents raised slogans against the Municipal Corporation and Smart City authorities. In the viral video, a crowd can be seen gathered around the drain, cheering and clapping as the councillor cuts the cake, while several people record the incident on their mobile phones.
Nayak criticised the civic authorities and said that despite the Centre's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, sanitation conditions in the slum areas of his ward remained poor. He alleged that repeated letters and meetings with officials had failed to bring any permanent solution.
The councillor said he had approached officials, including the Assistant Municipal Commissioner and the Municipal Health Officer, and had also written to the Mayor about the issue. He claimed that even after the Mayor took note of the matter, no action followed.
Questioning the lack of response, Nayak said that if the concerns of elected representatives and the Mayor were not being addressed, it raised questions about how the problems of ordinary citizens would be resolved.
The drain-side birthday celebration has since become a talking point, with the video drawing reactions online and renewed questions over sanitation arrangements in the Agra Smart City area.
A BJP councillor in Agra staged an unusual protest against the alleged poor sanitation conditions in his ward by cutting his birthday cake while standing inside a dirty drain.
Kishan Nayak, councillor from Ward 12, entered a drain in New Vijay Nagar Colony and celebrated his birthday there, amid claimed that the drain had not been cleaned despite repeated complaints to higher authorities. The video of the protest has gone viral on social media.
The incident took place at the Langde Ki Chowki drain and is around two kilometres long, with nearly 65 per cent of its stretch reportedly covered underground. Local residents have alleged that the underground portion has not been properly cleaned for the past 14 years, leading to heavy accumulation of silt.
Residents claim that one to three feet of silt has accumulated in parts of the drain, while the open sections also remain in poor condition.
Nayak alleged that he had raised the issue with the Agra Municipal Corporation several times but no concrete action was taken. He claimed that he had submitted around 12 complaints and approached officials from different departments, including the health department and Smart City management, but the cleaning work never started.
Frustrated over the lack of action, the councillor reached the drain on Thursday along with supporters and local residents. A table was placed inside the drain, and a birthday cake was kept on it. Nayak then stood in the drain and cut the cake as part of his protest.
During the demonstration, residents raised slogans against the Municipal Corporation and Smart City authorities. In the viral video, a crowd can be seen gathered around the drain, cheering and clapping as the councillor cuts the cake, while several people record the incident on their mobile phones.
Nayak criticised the civic authorities and said that despite the Centre's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, sanitation conditions in the slum areas of his ward remained poor. He alleged that repeated letters and meetings with officials had failed to bring any permanent solution.
The councillor said he had approached officials, including the Assistant Municipal Commissioner and the Municipal Health Officer, and had also written to the Mayor about the issue. He claimed that even after the Mayor took note of the matter, no action followed.
Questioning the lack of response, Nayak said that if the concerns of elected representatives and the Mayor were not being addressed, it raised questions about how the problems of ordinary citizens would be resolved.
The drain-side birthday celebration has since become a talking point, with the video drawing reactions online and renewed questions over sanitation arrangements in the Agra Smart City area.
