Hyderabad: At a time when the ruling TRS is going all out against the Gujarat government's decision to release 11 convicts in the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and murder of her family, senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal, who is secretary in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), found fault with the decision.
Her tweet triggered a debate in bureaucratic and political circles since she made these comments while being in service as an IAS officer.
Smita Sabharwal tweeted, "As a woman and a civil servant, I sit in disbelief, reading the news on the #BilkisBanoCase. We cannot snuff out her Right to breathe free without fear, again and call ourselves a free nation. #JusticeForBilkisBano(sic)".
She also attached a statement released on behalf of Bilkis Bano, in which the victim appealed to the Gujarat government to undo the harm and ensure that her family was kept safe.
The tweeet invited sharp reactions from political leaders as well as netizens. While some netizens lashed out at her for being 'selective' on her reactions and making 'political comments', a few others praised her for her courage as the only civil servant to question the wrongdoings of the Gujarat government. A few questioned her silence on similar rape incidents witnessed in Telangana earlier.
BJP leader Dr Sravan Dasoju said, "Smita Sabharwal should also sit in disbelief that Telangana courts gave bail to the Jubilee Hills and Sircilla rape culprits. Selective reactions to appease political bosses is disgraceful on the part of an IAS officer."
“Right from 2014 till date, so many human rights violations took place in the state including forcible land acquisition for Kaleshwaram, and in many other parts of Telangana. Never has Smita raised one word against the government but has the audacity to comment on this. I empathise with her feelings, however, as an IAS officer, she shall not be selective in her reactions," Dr Dasoju said.
Retired IAS officer S.Balasubramanyam, who had worked in the CMO during the TD regime in undivided AP, opined that there was nothing wrong in IAS officers expressing their opinions in public against government decisions.
“It comes under freedom of speech and expression. IAS officers can point out bad decisions of the government. They are only restricted from making statements which cause law and order problems or create enmity between different communities or religions."
