The controversy surrounding Vivek Bansal, Director (CFA) at Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL), is more than an embarrassing administrative misstep. It reflects a troubling mindset within parts of India’s public sector – one that risks undermining both credibility and reform momentum.
Reports in The Economic Times and Business Today detailed how an internal itinerary for Vivek Bansal’s proposed Prayagraj visit outlined extensive logistical arrangements, allegedly involving dozens of staff and a list of personal hospitality items.
The controversy erupted when a detailed office order outlining the arrangements for Vivek Bansal’s proposed two-day trip was widely circulated on social media. The document reportedly assigned roughly 50 BSNL officials to manage a range of tasks — from detailed reception logistics to personal hospitality — including provisions for hair oil, undergarments, bath kits, snacks and refreshments.
The optics were damaging. In an era where public sector enterprises are expected to operate leanly and efficiently, such arrangements appear tone-deaf.
The swift reaction from Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who reportedly termed the episode improper and unacceptable, suggests the government understood the gravity of the perception issue. A show-cause notice and cancellation of the visit followed. But damage control after public outrage does not erase the initial lapse in judgment.
BSNL has spent years trying to rebuild its financial health and technological relevance in a hyper-competitive telecom market in India. The company is racing to expand 4G and prepare for 5G rollouts while competing against deep-pocketed private operators. At such a juncture, leadership optics matter as much as strategy. Every rupee of public investment in BSNL comes under scrutiny, and stories that hint at executive excess risk reinforcing stereotypes about inefficiency in state-owned enterprises.
This episode is not merely about one itinerary or one executive. It raises uncomfortable questions about internal culture. How does a detailed plan involving extensive personal arrangements move through administrative channels without red flags? Why does it take public exposure for corrective action to occur? Governance is tested not in crisis management, but in prevention.
Defenders may argue that bureaucratic over-enthusiasm by local staff inflated routine visit planning. Even if that is the case, leadership responsibility cannot be outsourced. Public sector directors must not only act with restraint but also ensure their teams understand and embody that restraint.
For BSNL, rebuilding trust requires more than issuing notices. It demands visible, structural safeguards against VIP culture – tighter travel protocols, transparent expense norms, and accountability mechanisms that operate proactively rather than reactively.
Public sector credibility is fragile. When citizens see stories about elaborate hospitality for executives while service quality and profitability remain works in progress, cynicism grows. And cynicism is far more expensive than any travel bill.
The Vivek Bansal episode should be a wake-up call. If BSNL wants to compete like a modern telecom operator, it must also behave like one.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH
