Public servants from across India condemn ‘attack’, IAS officers meet cabinet secy
NEWDELHI: Support has been pouring in for members of IAS officers associations of Delhi who are protesting the alleged assault on the state’s chief secretary Anshu Prakash by AAP MLAS.
Until Saturday, the protesting employees of the city administration had received as many as 47 statements of support — the copies of which are with HT — from different associations of public servants from across the country. Most of the statements demanded “exemplary punishment” for the perpetrators of the alleged assault and also a “safe” and “dignified” work environment.
Calling the support “unprecedented”, Delhi divisional commissioner Manisha Saxena, who is also the secretary of the city’s IAS association, said that their protest has turned into a “movement” now. “It is something which has touched the chord of every government servant and is probably happening for the first time in India. We are getting mails from across the country where government teachers or doctors are narrating their bitter experiences with political executives,” she said.
One of the statements, from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Association, has expressed “shock” that the incident happened at the official residence of the chief minister and that too was allegedly carried out by “sitting MLAS”.
The statement from this association assumes significance as chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was also an IRS officer who had worked in the Income Tax Department. The Delhi government refused to comment on the statements or the support the bureaucrats had been garnering.
The IAS Officers Association of Karnataka termed the assault a “criminal, cowardly and uncivilised act” and one that is “tantamount to attack on the executive branch of the government”.
Calling it the “most barbaric” attack, the Assam IAS Officers Association said that the bureaucracy is expected to discharge it functions in a free and fair manner upholding the rule of law “which the perpetrators of this crime need to understand”.
CABINET SECRETARY ASSURES SUPPORT
A forum of employees and officers of Delhi government on Saturday met Cabinet secretary PK Sinha over the alleged assault on chief secretary Anshu Prakash.
The officers reiterated that they will continue to work through formal written channels of communication. “The Cabinet secretary assured employees of complete administrative and moral support,” a statement by the joint forum stated.