The infamous affair involving the appointment of youtuber ‘Dethadi’ Harika as the tourism ambassador has exposed the deep fissures and intense groupism in the tourism department. All is not well in this department with the officials playing favourites and driving a wedge between tourism minister Srinivas Goud and tourism corporation chairperson Srinivas Gupta.
For the past several months, there are bickering in the tourism department and the chairperson and the minister are not even on talking terms. Gupta has appointed Harika on his own and has even gone public about the announcement. Sources say that Harika and Gupta are from the same community and are also distantly related. This must have influenced his decision. However, this decision was taken without consulting anyone in the department and this has led to lot of heartburn among the officials.
Taking a serious view, Minister Srinivas Goud slammed the decision and said her appointment was not authorized by him. This has exposed the differences within the department. Though Harika has since announced that she has opted out of being a brand ambassador for the tourism department, the cinders are still flying and the war of words is still on.