Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms officials said there was no official order from the government assigning IAS officers to welcome political leaders.
IAS officer Vijaymahantesh Danammannavar (extreme right) had accompanied Ministers MB Patil and Laxmi Jarkiholi while welcoming NCP chief Sharad Pawar at HAL airport in Benglauru on Monday. (supplied)
The Janata Dal (Secular) has raised strong criticism against the incumbent Congress government in Karanataka, accusing it of misusing the state government machinery.
The party claim that around 30 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers were deputed by the state government to warmly welcome national leaders from various political outfits attending a two-day joint meeting of Opposition parties in Bengaluru on 17 and 18 July.
In response to the allegations, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also serves as the state Congress chief, emphasised that the due protocol for state guests had been followed, and refuted claims of any misuse of the government machinery.
However, JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy strongly criticised the Congress government, stating that in his entire political career, he had never witnessed IAS officers being assigned to a political event.
According to officials at the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, there had been no official order from the state government regarding the assignment of IAS officers to welcome political leaders.
The Siddaramaiah government reportedly deployed at least 30 senior IAS officers to welcome the national leaders of various political parties to Bengaluru without issuing any official order.
These national leaders, including the chief ministers of other states and heads of various political parties, had come to Bengaluru to take part in the two-day joint meeting of Opposition parties.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Central Office Managing Director V Anbukumar was assigned to welcome AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
Department of Horticulture and Sericulture Secretary KP Mohan Raj was assigned to welcome Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Special Commissioner (Health) KV Thrilok Chandra was assigned to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.
Similarly, Ujwal Ghosh, C Shika, MT Reju, Ravishankar, Captain K Rajendra, Richard Vincent Dsouza, Ramchandran, Vishal R, Sharat, BR Mamatha, Sreevidya, Vijaymahantesh Danammanavar, MR Ravi Kumar, Rajesh Gowda, Rakesh Kunar, R Girish, H Basavarajendra, Karee Gowda, Rangappa, Manoj Jain, Annies Kanmani Joy, THM Kumar, Subha Kalyan, R Girish, Gangadharaswamy and HR Korlapati — all IAS officers the Karnataka cadre — were deployed to welcome the leaders.
In a surprise, the Congress government did not issue any official order assigning 30 IAS officers to welcome the political leaders, claimed officials of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR).
On condition of anonymity, an official from the DPAR told South First: “The state government has not issued any official order on deputing these officers to welcome the political leaders.”
He added: “The government has orally communicated with the department on the matter. We also deployed IAS officers because the government has considered all the leaders participating in the meeting as ‘state guests’.”
He also said that as per protocol, if the state government considers any political leader or individual a state guest, then IAS officers can be assigned to welcome them.
On whether it was legitimate to assign senior IAS officers to welcome political leaders, retired IAS officer SM Jamdar told South First: “If the state government has issued any official order on this then it will be legitimate. A civil servant is bound to follow the orders of the government.”
He added: “If there are no official orders then it will be considered as wrongdoing by the government. As per the conduct rules, no one is allowed to canvas, campaign or participate in any political event.”
HD Kumaraswamy accused the Congress government of introducing “IAS bonded labour policy” in the State by deputing 30 IAS officers to “serve” its alliance leaders, meeting in the city to discuss strategies for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Kumaraswamy told reporters: “IAS officers are symbols of State’s ability and efficiency, and deputing these officials as doorkeepers to serve politicians is in clear violation of All India Services (Conduct) Rules.”
He said in his tweet: “In its greed to wrest power by forging an alliance Congress has performed last rites for pride,heritage & self esteem of Karnataka. It is wrong on part of @INCKarnataka to depute IAS officers to serve its alliance leaders. Is this what they meant walk the talk @IASassociation [sic].”
In its greed to wrest power by forging an alliance Congress has performed last rites for pride,heritage & self esteem of Karnataka. It is wrong on part of @INCKarnataka to depute IAS officers to serve its alliance leaders. Is this what they meant walk the talk @IASassociation 1/7 pic.twitter.com/TvcEDy68FM
— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) July 18, 2023
He was the first from the opposition to share a list of names of IAS officers who are deputed to host the political leaders attending the meeting.
“This is neither a state government programme nor the swearing-in ceremony of a new government. It is just a political meeting. Deputing responsible officers to host its alliance political leaders is a grave injustice done to 6.5 crore Kannadigas and a great insult to the state,” fumed the former chief minister.
Terming this the height of arrogance of the ruling party, he said: “This is a clear violation of All India Services (Conduct) Rules. I was surprised and shocked that officials agreed to do this job knowing that it would dent their self-respect and honour.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar denied the allegations levelled by Kumaraswamy and said that the due protocol for state guests had been followed.
They also refuted charges of any misuse of the government machinery.
Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru: “As the chief ministers of various states and former Union ministers who arrived in Bengaluru were considered as state guests and according to protocol, officials were assigned only to welcome all those visiting dignitaries.”
ಇಂದು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗೆ ಆಗಮಿಸಿದ ವಿವಿಧ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳು, ಕೇಂದ್ರದ ಮಾಜಿ ಸಚಿವರುಗಳನ್ನು ರಾಜ್ಯ ಅತಿಥಿಗಳೆಂದು ಪರಿಗಣಿಸಲಾಗಿತ್ತು
ಶಿಷ್ಟಾಚಾರದ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ಆ ಎಲ್ಲ ಗಣ್ಯರ ಸ್ವಾಗತಕ್ಕೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳನ್ನು ನಿಯೋಜಿಸಲಾಗಿತ್ತು.ಇದರ ಹೊರತಾಗಿ ಈ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಯಾವ ಪಾತ್ರವೂ ಇಲ್ಲ.
ಈ ರೀತಿಯ ಶಿಷ್ಟಾಚಾರದ…
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 17, 2023
He added: “There is no violation of protocol here. The officials were assigned only to welcome dignitaries and they were not used for political programs.”
Shivakumar told reporters: “The former chief minister is making such statements as he wants to be in the news. I’m not ready to reply to Kumaraswamy. Whoever has to be there as per the protocol given to the state guest was there.”
He added: “Our ministers and I had gone and welcomed some chief ministers. As per protocol, an official has been deputed to every senior leader. This has been the practice that has been followed at all times.”
Shivakumar continued: “He (Kumaraswamy) has not been invited for an opposition meeting, it is said that he is waiting for the NDA meeting, I wish him well.”
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