Bihar IAS officers up the ante against state govt, declare non-compliance with verbal orders even from CM office, as a protest against BSSC Chairman's arrest in paper leaks matter.
The IAS Officers’ Association of Bihar virtually declared a war against the state government, when they said that they won't take any verbal orders, even from CM Nitish Kumar, as mark of protest against the arrest of Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) chairman Sudhir Kumar in the paper leaks matter on Friday
In a very strongly worded resolution, the association has resolved that all further verbal instructions from any higher office, including that of the Chief Minister, shall not be complied with unless given in writing. They also said that none of the members will accept the post of Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) chairman that was occupied by Sudhir Kumar till the time of being arrested.
The protesting officers also took to the streets of Patna on Sunday evening and formed a human chain outside the Raj Bhawan, demanding immediate release of their colleague.
This was the first time in the recent history of Bihar that around 100 IAS officers, including principal secretaries and district magistrates, stood hand-in-hand against raising questions over “gaping holes in the theories propounded against Sudhir Kumar.”
Bihar IAS officers form a chain outside Raj Bhawan in Patna on Sunday evening
The human chain followed a three-hour long extra-ordinary general body meeting of the IAS Officers’ Association, Bihar, on Sunday, in which several other important resolutions were also passed by the members.
It may be mentioned that bureaucracy in Bihar is said to have enjoyed a “free-hand” under CM Nitish Kumar, however, the 200 and odd Bihar-cadre IAS officers have viewed that “officers of the cadre are not secure in performance of their official duties any longer and fear taking executive decisions lest it be interpreted as criminal wrongdoing”, hinting at a go-slow approach in dealing with files henceforth.
While the officers have said, “they shall not immediately stop performing their duties”, they will wear black arm bands till the time their demands are met in full.
Accusing the investigation team of “cherry picking and selective targeting”, the association as pointed that no arrested have been made in several “high-profile cases of recent vintage” such as “infamous sex racket case (of a Dalit minor girl in which ex-Bihar Congress vice-president is a co-accused) or of recruitment in agricultural university (in which a JD-U MLA is accused).
Reiterating their demand to transfer the case to the CBI, it said, “The CBI will be in a better position to independently establish the links beyond the officials, as repeated reports have suggested interference and/or patronage of persons with clout.”
A delegation of IAS officials met Governor Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday with their demands even as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, when questioned at an event, said he had no idea about it.
Altogether 34 persons have been arrested in the paper leak and job racket of BSSC’s Inter-level combined competitive exam that was being taken by over 18 lakh students for various clerical grade posts.
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