Nagpur Activist Schools Bureaucrat On Being A "Public Servant", Video Viral

Nagpur-based social activist Yash Gaurkhede, who was previously associated with the Cockroach Janata Party and recently announced a political outfit called the Bharatiya Janbadlaav Party, is in the spotlight after a video of his heated exchange with Sambhaji Shivaji Mane, the Chief Engineer of the Nagpur division of the state Public Works Department (PWD), went viral on social media. In the video, Gaurkhede is seen raising concerns over the alleged underpayment of labourers engaged by a PWD contractor.

According to Gaurkhede, around 40 labourers employed by the contractor were receiving between Rs 8,000 and Rs 9,000 per month. He alleged that after he raised the issue, the wages of 17 workers were increased to Rs 12,000 per month.

However, Gaurkhede further alleged that the same 17 labourers were subsequently removed from their jobs.

Watch the video here: 

Yash Gaurkhede, a Nagpur-based social activist known as the face of the Cockroach Janata Party and the founder of the newly announced Bharatiya Janbadlaav Party, has alleged serious irregularities in wage payments to labourers working under a contractor engaged by the state Public Works Department (PWD). Gaurkhede claims that around 40 labourers were being paid just ₹8,000-₹9,000 per month, allegedly below prescribed wage norms. According to him, after he raised the issue, the salaries of 17 workers were increased to ₹12,000. However, he alleges that all 17 were subsequently removed from their jobs. The activist further claims he attempted to meet the PWD Chief Engineer of the Nagpur division to raise the matter but was denied entry due to an ongoing meeting. He says this led to a confrontation over the requirement of an appointment to meet a public official. According to Gaurkhede, the official later assured him that efforts would be made to reinstate the workers. Gaurkhede says he will continue to pursue the issue and plans to meet officials again to seek reinstatement of the labourers and payment of their pending dues. #Nagpur #YashGaurkhede #BharatiyaJanbadlaavParty #CockroachJanataParty #PWD

— NDTV (@ndtv) November 6, 2026

He claimed that he later attempted to meet the Chief Engineer of the Nagpur division of the state PWD, identified as Sambhaji Shivaji Mane, to raise the matter. According to Gaurkhede, he was initially unable to meet the official as a departmental meeting was in progress and was advised by a staff member to take up the issue with the contractor instead.

Gaurkhede alleged that he then entered the chamber where the meeting was being held and was asked whether he had an appointment. He said he responded by reminding the official of his responsibility as a public servant and the need to address the workers' grievances.

He clarified that the official concerned is the Chief Engineer of the state PWD and not an IAS or IPS officer, adding that he mentioned this only to emphasise his point during the exchange.

According to Gaurkhede, the chief engineer assured him that efforts would be made to facilitate the reinstatement of the affected workers. The activist said he intends to pursue the matter further and seek payment of the workers' allegedly unpaid dues.

NDTV contacted Chief Engineer Mane for a response to the allegations. However, he was unavailable for comment at the time of publication. The contractor's response could not be independently obtained.