Senior BJP leader and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi on Saturday slammed the Odisha government by alleging that the entire governance has been hijacked by a bureaucrat in the state.
Without taking the name of 5T secretary VK Pandian, Sarangi questioned “whether the political executive is in command or it has been hijacked by a bureaucrat.”
Has Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik authorized a secretary-level bureaucrat to go around announcing projects in different parts of Odisha while the elected MLAs, MPs and Ministers are either onlookers or absent in those meetings? Sarangi questioned.
“Till now, I had not been openly talking about the issue as I thought talking about specific bureaucrat (s) does not go well of political representatives. However, things have come to such a phase in Odisha that people outside the state are ridiculing of what is going on in Odisha,” said Sarangi.
According to Sarangi, a secretary-level bureaucrat is doing whirlwind tours using the state plane, participating in public functions and receiving public receptions. The said officer is allegedly announcing projects worth crores while public representatives are watching like mute spectators in the state.
Sarangi further said that the officer while announcing new projects, claims all this ‘on the instructions of the CM.’
“I have seen the bureaucrat giving speeches with political overtones, participating in meetings. This is a clear violation of the Conduct Rules by the serving officer,” alleged Sarangi.
Commenting on the allegations, the BJD said Sarangi is just trying to grab media attention.
“Madam (Aparajita Sarangi) is agitated because I have been appointed observer of Bhubaneswar Constituency. Madam has joined politics not to serve people. She is trying to grab media attention," BJD's Shreemayee Mishra said.
Later in the day, Sundergarh MP, Jual Oram said, "Totally agree with Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi; Politicians should do politics & bureaucrats should do bureaucratic work; here political leaders are silent & bureaucrats are leading."
What do the All India Services Conduct Rules say?
Rule 5. “Taking part in politics and elections— 5(1) No member of the Service shall be a member of, or be otherwise associated with, any political party or any organization which takes part in politics, nor shall he take part in, or subscribe in aid of, or assist in any other manner, any political movement or political activity.”
Rule 12 of the said Rules: There is another Rule of the Conduct Rules which is also being flagrantly violated by the said officer. “Public demonstrations in honour of Government Servants— 12(1) No member of the Service shall receive any complimentary or valedictory address or accept any testimonial or attend any meeting or entertainment held in his honour”.
“I have a feeling that the people of Odisha are being forced to witness a spectacle of a bureaucrat trying to hijack the political mandate because of the weakening of the BJD political leadership and their lack of grip over the party. Either the CM is unaware of what is being done by the said bureaucrat or the CM is forcing the BJD Political leaders to subjugate themselves to a bureaucrat,” said Sarangi.
Quit Government Job and Join Politics:
Sarangi According to Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, “If the officer has political ambition, he should quit government job and join politics. Drawing salary from government and keen to get rousing reception cannot go together.”
Top 3 Officers In CMO Are From South India
Aparajita Sarangi said the senior-most officers of CM’s Office (CMO) are all non-Odias. She asked, “Has there been any incident since independence when a single Odia officer among the top 3 serving officials of CMO has not been found eligible to aid and advise the CM on issues and matters pertaining to Odisha?
More specifically, the top 3 officers of CMO are all from South India. The increasing influence of South Indian Corporate groups in different spheres of Odisha is a coincidence or is it by design, questioned the Bhubaneswar MP.