‘Politicians consider bureaucrat dismissals fashion statement’
13 Aug 2013 5:27 AM IST
As many as 105 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers have been suspended in Uttar Pradesh during the last two decades, but no one was discussed as much as Durga Shakti Nagpal who was suspended just two weeks back.
Even though the hallowed list of suspended IAS officers included bureaucrats in the ranks of chief secretary, principal secretary, divisional commissioner and district magistrates, ironically, it was the suspension of a junior officer, Durga Shakti Nagpal, that has become the most talked about case of dismissal.
Durga, a 2009 batch IAS officer, posted as SDM at Gautambudhnagar, was suspended on 27 July this year, ostensibly on the charge of ordering the demolition of a wall of a madarsa, a place for religious gathering and praying for Muslims, but, in fact, it was her defiant stance against the sand mafia in UP which was widely considered as the reason behind the punitive action by the present Samajwadi Party government in the state.
Since 1993, a total of 105 IAS have faced suspension in the state. Of them, the maximum numbers of officials were suspended during the stints of Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati. Always a maverick and unpredictable, Mayawati allegedly used to suspend officials on a whim, following sudden inspections and review meets. The suspension of D S Bagga, the former chief secretary of UP, by the BSP government had also hit the national headlines in 2003.
The Samajwadi Party occupies the second position in terms of initiating suspension orders of bureaucrats. The Mulayam Singh Yadav-led SP has suspended 26 IAS officers so far, while other parties have initiated similar actions against 11 civil services officials.
An IAS officer, on conditions of anonymity, said that the politicians consider suspension of officials as a fashion symbol and a soothing act.
The same happened in the case of Gautambudhnagar SDM Durga Shakti Nagpal, he alleged. Notably, of the 105 IAS officials who faced suspension, only few were awarded punishment. Akhand Pratap Singh and Neera Yadav were removed from the post of the state chief secretary and sent to jail after the intervention of the Supreme Court.
Even though the hallowed list of suspended IAS officers included bureaucrats in the ranks of chief secretary, principal secretary, divisional commissioner and district magistrates, ironically, it was the suspension of a junior officer, Durga Shakti Nagpal, that has become the most talked about case of dismissal.
Durga, a 2009 batch IAS officer, posted as SDM at Gautambudhnagar, was suspended on 27 July this year, ostensibly on the charge of ordering the demolition of a wall of a madarsa, a place for religious gathering and praying for Muslims, but, in fact, it was her defiant stance against the sand mafia in UP which was widely considered as the reason behind the punitive action by the present Samajwadi Party government in the state.
Since 1993, a total of 105 IAS have faced suspension in the state. Of them, the maximum numbers of officials were suspended during the stints of Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati. Always a maverick and unpredictable, Mayawati allegedly used to suspend officials on a whim, following sudden inspections and review meets. The suspension of D S Bagga, the former chief secretary of UP, by the BSP government had also hit the national headlines in 2003.
The Samajwadi Party occupies the second position in terms of initiating suspension orders of bureaucrats. The Mulayam Singh Yadav-led SP has suspended 26 IAS officers so far, while other parties have initiated similar actions against 11 civil services officials.
An IAS officer, on conditions of anonymity, said that the politicians consider suspension of officials as a fashion symbol and a soothing act.
The same happened in the case of Gautambudhnagar SDM Durga Shakti Nagpal, he alleged. Notably, of the 105 IAS officials who faced suspension, only few were awarded punishment. Akhand Pratap Singh and Neera Yadav were removed from the post of the state chief secretary and sent to jail after the intervention of the Supreme Court.
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