“I Will Not Bow Down”: Datia Collector Reprimands Patwaris for Attempting to Pressure Administration

A heated scene unfolded at the Datia Collectorate on Wednesday when District Collector Swapnil Wankhede strongly reprimanded a group of patwaris who arrived in large numbers to protest the suspension of one of their colleagues. The Collector made it clear that group pressure, political influence, or show of strength would not be tolerated.

Collector Loses Temper Over “Mob Pressure”

According to officials, 60–70 patwaris gathered at the Collectorate to meet the Collector following the suspension of a patwari. Seeing them arrive in a group, Collector Wankhede reacted sharply and expressed his displeasure in unequivocal terms.

“I will not bow down. Do not think that gathering in large numbers will put pressure on me. That will not happen. God is with me, and justice is with me,” the Collector said in a stern tone.

He added that if there was a genuine issue, three or four representatives could have come forward, but repeatedly arriving in groups amounted to an intentional attempt to intimidate the administration.

“Political Pressure Will Not Be Tolerated”

The Collector clearly warned that using political backing to influence administrative decisions would not be accepted. He questioned the need for such a large gathering, especially when a similar delegation had already visited him within the last 15 days.

He also strongly criticized the patwaris over delays and issues related to the PM-Kisan scheme and fertilizer distribution, stating that patwaris are meant to serve the public, not to pressure senior officers.

Clarification on Viral Video

Addressing a video of the incident that has gone viral on social media, Collector Wankhede clarified that the video was not uploaded from his official social media account and was neither recorded nor shared intentionally by his team.

“This Is a Betrayal of the Public”

In an emotional address, the Collector said that such behavior was not only inappropriate but also a betrayal of the public trust.

“I do not work for money. We all work for the people. When the public suffers, anger is natural and action follows,” he said.

He cited daily grievances brought to his office—cases where people have lost family members, elderly citizens waiting for pensions for years due to Aadhaar authentication issues—to explain why administrative strictness becomes necessary.

Patwaris’ Argument

From the patwaris’ side, it was argued that a patwari posted in Indergarh was suspended, and later asked to present medical documents in Datia, even though he had taken treatment in Gwalior. Responding to this, the Collector stated that he was not fully aware of the specifics and that such matters could have been resolved through dialogue instead of confrontation.

Firm Message from the Administration

The incident sends out a strong message from the Datia administration that discipline, accountability, and public interest will take precedence over collective pressure or political maneuvering, reinforcing the Collector’s stance that governance cannot be run through intimidation but through dialogue and responsibility.