Thiruvananthapuram: What started off as a row over a service matter has snowballed into a full-blown war between Chief Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan and the IAS Officers Association.
Exactly 22 days ago, the association office-bearers submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, raising issues pertaining to the appraisal of All India Service Officers.
They pointed out that as per All India Service (Performance Appraisal Rules) Rules 2007, the appraisal of officers at the level of the Secretary and above should be written by the Minister concerned and not the CS as is the practice.
Since the time was running out for annual appraisal, the association pleaded that for at least 2013-14 the secretary-level officers should be allowed to choose between Minister and the CS as their appraisal authorities.
However, as a long-term measure, they urged Mr Chandy to constitute a task force comprising office-bearers of IAS Association and experts/officials who have served on CAT or similar bodies to discuss the issue and submit clear recommendations.
After hearing the association office-bearers, Mr Chandy asked them to meet Finance Minister K M Mani, Industry Minister P K Kunhalikutty and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. Ministers assured to look into the matter.
The Association’s move came in the back drop of allegations that Mr Bhushan was taking arbitrary and vindictive action, while dealing with the appraisal of officials.
For instance, the then Chief Minister, V S Achuthanandan, wrote the appraisal of his addition secretary K Suresh Kumar for the period. However, Mr Chandy declined to accept it.
Even IPS officers are cut up with Mr Bhushan over the manner in which he had reduced marks given by DGP in his appraisal for ADGP Rajesh Dewan. Apart from service matters, a section of IAS officers feels deeply hurt by his “haughty” and “rude” behaviour.
There were reports that Mr Bhushan was taking rounds of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala’s office to get a Vigilance probe ordered against Mr Raju Narayana Swamy. The officer had gone on a foreign visit years ago and allegedly sought private hospitality in violation of norms. Mr Swamy, however, accused Mr Bhushan of raking up the issue to block his impending Central deputation. The official is now facing a probe for leaking his petition against the CS to the media.
Similarly IAS Officers Association president Tom Jose is also being probed in connection with the purchase of land in Maharashtra worth Rs 1.4 crore. Now, with allegations related to discrepancies in the CS property returns and his role in allowing a private builder to encroach on Government land in Thiruvananthapuram being levelled by Mr Achuthanandan, the row has taken a new dimension.
The Opposition has demanded CS removal and a detailed probe into allegations against him. Though Mr Chandy has tried to play down the ugly goings on, he might find it difficult to push allegations under the carpet given the huge media attention that the issue has generated in the State.
A section of officers alleges that the Government has been trying to divert the issue by terming the controversy as ego clash among officials. There is a clear attempt to prevent a detailed inquiry into allegations against the CS and other officers as many in the Government do not want skeletons to tumble out.
