The suspension of an Indian administrative service (IAS) officer by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has caused a huge backlash in the country. It has not only united bureaucrats, it has also prompted the civil society to warn politicians in the country that they can no longer act according to their whims and fancies. The state government has accused IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal of creating communal tension by ordering demolition of a mosque wall. In fact she has been punished for taking on the sand mafia in the state and the administration framed her in a politically motivated case on flimsy grounds.
This could be tip of iceberg. So many other IAS officers are being mistreated as Nagpal. But those cases are hidden from public scrutiny.
However, in view of the ongoing controversy over Nagpal, the central government is considering amending rules to ensure an IAS officer is not suspended or transferred due to vested interest, which is welcome news, as it will check undermining and mistreatment of bureaucrats at the hands of our politicians.
Unfortunately in India, most of the politicians are hand in glove with the civil servants. There are a small number of upright IAS officers, like Ashok Khemka and Durga, who dare to stand up to politicians, and an even smaller number of politicians who are upright.
The vast majority of IAS officers as well as politicians are selfish and have a very convenient arrangement to collectively indulge in mutually beneficial activities, with no care for the country and the common people. — Ashraf Hussain, Jeddah
Row over bureaucrat’s suspension
