Ex-minister's son sells newspapers for a living

MUZAFFARPUR: Unbelievable but true. The son of a Bihar minister sells newspapers for a living because he could not find another job despite successfully completing a motor mechanic course.

Uday Prakash Gupta, son of Mohanlal Gupta, who was a member in the erstwhile Karpoori Thakur cabinet, pedals off to sell newspapers everyday.

50-plus Uday starts his day at 4.30 am when he leaves his Nayatola house in the town with newspaper bundles padded up in his bi-cycle and delivers them at the doorsteps of customers' houses.

Thereafter, he goes to the main market here and resumes his job with him shouting 'aaj ki taaza khabar' (today's hot news...).

But Uday says, he is happy with the job.

Uday, who has successfully done motor mechanic course, could not get a job as his father, who believed in principles and values, never sought any favour for his son and other family members.

Back in the late 1960s, he applied and tried to be get employed with the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC), when his father was the Food and Civil supplies minister in the Bihar government led by veteran socialist leader late Karpoori Thakur.