Viral Video: MLA screams at UP officer Garima Singh; “Threatening young IAS officers is not acceptable”, retorts IAS Association

THE IAS Association in a social media post on Tuesday said, threatening young IAS officers working in the field is not acceptable, after a video purportedly showing BJP MLA Uday Bhan Singh threatening Agra's Kirawali sub-divisional magistrate, Garima Singh, went viral. In the video, MLA can be heard saying, “Aapko maloom nahi main vidhayak hun (Don’t you know I am an MLA)? Meri taakat ka ehsaas nahi hai (You don’t realise my power).” The IAS Association in a Tweet said:

SP Neta who allegedly used abusive language against Baghpat DM sacked; “Fair that action taken”, says IAS Association

THE government of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday sacked the chairman of UP Liquor Prohibition Board after an alleged video clip of him abusing district Panchayati Raj officer Sarvesh Kumar Pandey and using abusive language for Baghpat’s district magistrate Hriday Shankar Tiwari, went viral in social media sites. IAS Association said in a social media site: “It’s sad that the concerned official who 'abused' the DM is a wannabe legislator. Fair that action has been taken”. In fact, the politician who reportedly used abusive language in the video was…

Prez Gives Tips: How bureaucrats should be patient, tactful in withstanding political pressure

LBSNAA

IT WAS sometime in 1970s. “Mr Minister, when I receive instructions from you, I do not look at your face. I look beyond your face, at the vast multitude of people of this country who have chosen you to be here.” This was what a senior Government of India secretary replied to then young minister, now President of India, Pranab Mukherjee when he asked the bureaucrat whether he felt “embarrassed” taking…

Will UP IAS Nagpal remain a “Durga”? 5 unanswered questions

WOULD Akhilesh Yadav-led UP administration have revoked the suspension of young IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal at least a month ago, had UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi not sent off an open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on August 2 asking for his intervention in the matter so that the officer is “not unfairly treated”? Here are five questions that BoI has raised post Nagpal’s reinstatement on Sunday.

Dear Usmani, ask your men to be “civil servants”, not servants to any minister

Usmani

FIRST we would like to congratulate you. You could have become either the commerce or economic affairs secretary, had you not ventured into becoming chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh, one of the most problematic states with a population of whopping 200 million, or 40 times than that of Norway. Many in corridors firmly believe you are a future cabinet secretary. No one doubts your talents; nor should anyone question your administrative skills.
Having said that, the “badtameez” episode that took place on Tuesday may not only demoralize bureaucrats across the country but also dent your image if you prefer to remain silent.
For our readers, here is the summary of Uttar Pradesh’s badtameez incident displaying the worst form of Netagiri:

Govt may bar officers from contesting poll just after quitting service

WITH more and more civil servants including high profile police officers contesting elections just after quitting the service, the government is contemplating to prescribe a “cooling off” period. Currently, a retired government employee has to wait for at least one year before taking up a private sector job unless he takes special permission, but the same rules…

Andhra minister crosses all forms of Netagiri; bureaucrats strongly condemn

BUREAUCRACY bashing has been a pastime for politicians across geographies, but the recent remarks of an Andhra Pradesh minister TG Venkatesh have surpassed all forms of Netagiri demonstrated by political leaders in India and outside. Now, bureaucrats in India have openly condemned minister Venkatesh’s reported remarks in a public function that...

Adarsh Probe: Deshmukh blames bureaucrats

NOW, it’s the turn of another powerful politician shifting blame to bureaucrats for reported wrongdoing. Former Maharashtra chief minister and current Union science and technology minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said he had signed on Adarsh file because...

NETAGIRI: Bureaucrats are good servants, but poor masters, says Lalu Prasad

Lalu Prasad: During Golden Days

“Bureaucrats may be good servants but they are very poor masters” — is what former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad said recently in a public rally at Panchanpur near Gaya, according to local media reports. Prasad’s anger was however not directed against bureaucrats per se, but…

Beyond Babudom: IAS, IPS officers set to contest forthcoming Punjab polls

A NUMBER of serving bureaucrats and former bureaucrats in Punjab including IAS officers Darbara Singh Guru of 1980 batch and Ujagar Singh of 1977 batch, and IPS officers SS Virk, PS Gill and Mohammad Izhar Alam are seeking tickets to contest Punjab’s coming assembly polls. There has already been a huge media attention at non-descript Bhadaur assembly constituency in Punjab where there could be a straight fight between Darbara Singh Guru, principal secretary to the chief minister who will retire in May 2012 and Ujagar Singh, former principal secretary (finance) of Tamil Nadu government. Whereas Guru may get a Shiromani Akali Dal ticket, Singh is reportedly knocking at 10 Janpath to secure a Congress ticket.

That’s not all. Former Punjab and Maharashtra DGP SS Virk has asked for a Congress ticket to contest at Dasuya assembly seat. The other police officers who have made serious bids to get Shiromani Akali Dal tickets are ex-Punjab DGP PS Gill for Moga seat and ex-DGP (prisons) Mohammad Izhar Alam for Malerkotla constituency. In fact, ruling Shiromani Akali Dal is said to be serious in projecting Mohammad Izhar Alam for Malerkotla seat as the constituency is currently represented by Congress MLA Razia Sultana who is wife of another IPS officer, Additional DGP Mohd Mustafa.

Only last year, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s close aide and 1984 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS Ram Chandra Prasad Singh or RCP, became an icon among serving bureaucrats when he clinched a berth in Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house of Parliament. Way back in 1984, BJP leader Yaswant Sinha left the elite IAS to join politics and went up the ladder to become the country’s finance minister. Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi is yet another example of a bureaucrat jettisoning cushy government job to get a taste of politics and emerge successful.

Netagiri could well be a serious career option for many more serving and retired Indian bureaucrats in days to come.