Officials are often seen engrossed in files in government offices in India but employees at a government office in Telangana surprised everyone and amused some, by filming and sharing TikTok videos.
Singing, dancing and playing pranks, employees of the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) recorded the videos using TikTok app and uploaded them on the video sharing platform.
The videos featuring the employees, with film songs and dialogues playing in the background, were shot in the office during office hours. The videos went viral on social media.
Taking a serious note of this, the KMC cracked the whip on Tuesday by transferring the employees and also reducing their wages.
The issue even reached Khammam Collector R V Karnan through the media as Telugu channels found the videos and aired them.
According to KMC officials, 11 outsourced employees were found involved in the activity and all of them were shifted to other departments. KMC Commissioner J Srinivasa Rao said they were also punished by having their wages reduced.
The incident saw mixed reactions on social media as some appreciated the videos and said that it was just a little harmless fun at work, while others criticised the government officials for seemingly ignoring their duties.
The #TikTok videos shot by officials in the municipal office in #Khammam are hilarious. After videos went viral, the collector demanded an explanation from the municipal commissioner. Though it calls for disciplinary action, some of the videos are . Talented officials indeed. pic.twitter.com/vIiuMqMu8E
— Paul Oommen (@Paul_Oommen) July 16, 2019
#Telangana- Khammam Municipal Corp officials (outsourced employees) in trouble after TikTok videos shot by them, allegedly in office premises and during work hours, went viral. They are on a 10-day pay cut and the Commissioner has been sent a memo seeking explanation. #TikTok pic.twitter.com/c2HggmOyWA
— Rishika Sadam (@RishikaSadam) July 16, 2019
Wow what a good #Administration @MC_Khammam with #TikTok videos in Government office #Khammam Administration if the @Collector_KMM and other Officer's could surprise visit in a weekly then they could have some fear.@IASassociation@ras906359@cdmatelangana @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/Qi2gLlceC1
— Fasiuzzama. (@md_fasiuzzama) July 16, 2019
Wah! What a sincere officers we got in our khammam corporation office, no time for people but have time for tiktok's, shame on you officers, should be suspended immediately @Collector_KMM @KTRTRS @MC_Khammam
— KP (pranay kumar) (@Pranay451995) July 15, 2019
The salaries of the employees who were transferred were also reduced. Some of them were in clerical positions, while others were involved in field work. They seem to have many such TikTok videos, many of whose screenshots are being shared on social media.
The videos themselves are not recent, but were found to be shot about two months ago, a senior official from KMC told PTI. The administration only came to know about the employees shooting the videos when they appeared in the media, and then issued a stern warning against such activities.