21 months after bees flew over Maya, official says still feeling sting

There are official files about this — the ‘Madhumakkhi Prakaran’, caused by ‘Apis darseta’, on March 15, 2010. Records show the honeybees concerned actually didn’t bite anyone that day. However, 21 months later, one man continues to feel the sting: apiculturist Sushil Kumar Mishra, who probed the surprise appearance of the swarm of bees at Chief Minister Mayawati’s rally in Lucknow, and who has been harassed, he says, since he concluded there was no conspiracy in it.

Mishra was at the time posted in the Horticulture Directorate at Lucknow. Along with then district horticulture officer S P Chauhan, he submitted a report saying the bees were of the species Apis darseta, that they were known to migrate in swarms upto 20 to 25 km away between February and April, and that them being at Mayawati’s rally was purely a natural phenomenon.

While Chauhan died some time later, Mishra claims his victimisation continues. He has been suspended once, posted without a vacancy, and now has no idea from where he is going to draw his next salary.

The bees had invaded the rally being held at Ramabai Ambedkar ground, hovered over the stage, and settled down inside the stone ceiling without harming anyone. Suspecting a “conspiracy” by rivals by lighting a fire under a nearby beehive, the Mayawati government had ordered an inquiry.

“Since I was the lone apiculturist posted at the Horticulture Directorate, S P Chauhan asked for my help,” Mishra recalled.

When they examined the spot the next day, they found no remains or possibility of a beehive being where a fire had been seen. After concluding that the bees that had come to the rally were apis darseta, a report was sent to the Chief Minister’s Office. Soon, Mishra says, his ordeal began.

The then principal secretary of Horticulture and Food Processing issued him a show-cause notice on March 25, objecting to him submitting the report to district-level officers without bringing it to his notice (though he officially wasn’t required to).

The next day, Mishra accompanied another probe team to the rally ground, along with the District Magistrate and DIG. Still, on March 31, he was transferred to Saharanpur as senior assistant researcher (entomology) at a horticulture centre, a post that did not exist. On April 3, the joint director of the centre informed the Horticulture Directorate that Mishra would face problems getting his salary.

Six days later, special secretary of Horticulture wrote to the director, alleging there were complaints that Mishra was not working for the benefit of farmers. On May 12, Mishra was suspended.

However, on May 20, the government revoked his suspension and five days later, the department said he could draw his salary from Lucknow. Perhaps for this reason, on June 16, while still posted at Saharanpur, Mishra was asked to look after the work of apiculturist at Lucknow.

However, on November 16, 2011, the Horticulture Directorate asked him to withdraw his salary from his place of posting at Saharanpur. The joint director at Saharanpur told the authorities again that there was no vacant post and, therefore, Mishra could not be paid. On December 16, Mishra was relieved of the additional responsibilities he had been given in Lucknow.

The above action by the woman does not surprise anyone.
She is mentally unstable and suspects a conspiracy in everything.
She also gets food tasters to taste everything before she eats it as she fears she may be poisoned.
I suppose Mishra must be wishing that the recent survey relegating the BSP to third place comes out true.