Congress asks Bhupendra Yadav to take 'moral responsibility' over aides' removal

Published 10 July 2026 · politics

The Congress on Friday intensified its attack on Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav over the removal of four aides from his office, saying a minister

The Congress on Friday intensified its attack on Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav over the removal of four aides from his office, saying a minister should take "moral responsibility" when close associates are dismissed over alleged corruption and fulfil their "rajdharma". Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh invoked former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, arguing that the principle of moral responsibility in public life had steadily eroded. His remarks came a day after the party alleged that a "gigantic scandal" had triggered the removals and accused the Environment Ministry of a complete collapse in governance. Read Full Story In a post on X, Ramesh said, "Is the idea of moral responsibility alive in Indian politics?

Lal Bahadur Shastri set the highest standards when he resigned as Railway Minister exactly 70 years ago following a train accident in Tamil Nadu. His example is often recalled and has always drawn great admiration but has been very rarely followed, if at all." He said ministers should feel compelled to resign when "their closest of close aides are sacked for corruption, and four of them that too." "If they knew what was happening, they are culpable. If they did not know, it is even worse and an even stronger reason to quit," Ramesh said.

Drawing a parallel with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's remarks after the 2002 Gujarat riots, Ramesh said, "It is time to fulfil their rajdharma." He added that rajdharma encompasses both moral responsibility and political accountability. On Thursday, the Congress had alleged that the Environment Ministry had failed to protect the country's forests and environment, quipping that the "Paryavaran Mantralay has become a Pravachan Mantralay." The party's allegations followed official orders issued on July 3 removing four officials from Yadav's office. According to the orders, the minister's private secretary was removed on "administrative grounds", while the appointments of two additional private secretaries were terminated or prematurely repatriated to their parent cadre.

The Congress has claimed the removals were linked to a major scandal in the ministry. The BJP or the Environment Ministry has not publicly responded to the Congress's allegations. The Congress's attack centres on the removal of the minister's aides, with the party arguing that the episode raises questions of both moral responsibility and political accountability in the Environment Ministry. Ends