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Minister Vijayvargiya mocks officers’ toadyism, but IAS-IPS-IRS officers have the last laugh

The Modi government may ridicule bureaucrats in public, but its faith in trusted officers — and its dependence on them — has never been more evident.

Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya recently triggered a row, virtually mocking government officers for their purported toadyism or servility. Speaking at a memorial event, he shared how officers tell him that they used to go to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh shakhas. Every officer wants to show the “belt tied around his waist” and the “chaddi” or RSS shorts. One of them said that his father was the “adhyaksha” or president of an RSS shakha. “Now what should I tell him? There is no adhyaksha in a shakha.” Vijayvargiya said with a derisive smile and sneer.

The minister’s remarks triggered the Congress, which saw the officers’ purported behaviour as a threat to bureaucratic fairness and neutrality. The very mention of the Sangh had to trigger it, obviously. Vijayvargiya didn’t specify who these officers were—whether from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Police Service (IPS) or some other civil service. He could very well be speaking about government officials in general. It’s, however, a fact that IAS/IPS officers are often the targets of ministers whenever the latter have to send a message—whether to pump up the ego of their supporters or divert the people’s ire with the system against powerful local authorities or simply to convey their anger or anguish to bigger political authorities. Speaking of Madhya Pradesh, IAS and IPS officers being transferred for taking action against the ruling party or ideological affiliates is virtually a norm.

Just a few weeks ago, public works department minister Rakesh Singh called IAS officer and Jabalpur Smart City CEO Arvind Shah over to his residence and reportedly humiliated and threatened him, prompting the IAS association to take the matter to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

Himachal Pradesh PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh stoked a controversy, saying that IAS and IPS officers from outside the state disregard Himachali values.

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy accused IAS officers of coming to the Union Territory “to enjoy themselves”.

Ministers and MLAs in Uttar Pradesh target senior IAS officers almost daily to send a message to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Listen to these politicians, including Vijayvargiya. You may think that a strong political executive— temporary because it has to get a fresh mandate every five years—has the permanent executive, which is the bureaucracy, at its feet. See how Prime Minister Narendra Modi blasted them in 2021. I mentioned it in a column in January 2023, reminding what the PM said in the Lok Sabha in 2021: “Sab kuchh babu hi karenge. IAS ban gaya toh woh fertiliser ka kaarkhana bhi chalayega. IAS ban........

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