Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh – A video of newly appointed IAS officer Rinku Singh doing sit-ups in public has gone viral, stirring a debate over accountability and public discipline.
Posted as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Powayan tehsil, Singh was on his first day of duty when he noticed poor sanitation in the area, including instances of open urination right next to a public toilet. When confronted, one man—a local lawyer—justified his act by saying he was a Brahmin and refused to use a dirty public toilet.
To discourage such behavior and set an example, Singh made several offenders do sit-ups in public. Later, during a visit to a school, he also spotted parents loitering around with young students during class hours. Believing that the children were missing out on education because of their parents’ carelessness, Singh again used sit-ups as a symbolic corrective step, this time directed at the parents.
However, his actions drew criticism from local advocates, who refused to engage with him during a meeting and instead pointed out the poor condition of the tehsil office itself—dirty premises, unclean toilets, and stray animals wandering around. When asked whether he would also hold himself accountable, Singh responded by doing sit-ups in front of the crowd, admitting that if the government office was not up to the mark, it was his responsibility too.
“If it’s our mistake, I’ll accept it,” Singh said, adding that he has asked locals to point out such lapses so they can be addressed. The officer’s unconventional approach has sparked both praise for taking personal responsibility and criticism over public humiliation tactics.
