Centre asks Odisha CS to take action against officer for conduct rules violation

Bhubaneswar, Jun 27 (PTI) Bhubaneswar BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi on Tuesday said the Centre has asked Odisha chief secretary to take action against an officer for alleged violation of Conduct Rules.
    Taking to Twitter, Sarangi said: “… Based on clear evidence of violation, DoPT has asked Chief Secretary to take action as State is Cadre Controlling Authority. Hope law will be allowed to take its course.”
    She said the Government of India has taken cognizance of the violation of Conduct Rules by an officer in Odisha.
    Sarangi also attached the letter of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, Department of Personnel and Training, in her Twitter post.
    On June 24, Sarangi along with BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal had lodged a complaint with the DoPT against the Odisha cadre officer whom they accused of clearly violating the Conduct Rules for the All India Service (AIS) personnel.
    They had also submitted video, CD and pen drive as evidence of alleged violations of Conduct Rules by the officer, Samal told reporters, adding that the officer has crossed the "Laxman Rekha" for the bureaucrats.
    Meanwhile, former chief secretary and Odisha Congress campaign committee chairman Bijay Patnaik informed that he too had written to the Centre, demanding appropriate measures over alleged ‘violation’ of AIS Conduct Rules by 5T Secretary VK Pandian, who is also the private secretary to chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
    Earlier, both the opposition BJP and the Congress had held separate press conferences and came down heavily against the CM’s private secretary and alleged that the officer has been violating all norms and acting like a politician.
    Sarangi in a press conference on June 25 had expressed wonder how Odisha police made heavy deployment for Pandian’s Bargarh district visit. She also asked the Odisha DGP whether such deployment is also made when the chief secretary and development commission go on district visits.
    While opposition has raised questions on his district visits and holding public meetings, Pandian has all along been claiming that he undertakes tours as per direction of the chief minister.
    In a bid to silence the critics, Pandian during his Baragarh district visit on Monday played an audio message of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
    Patnaik in the audio message told the gathering at Barpali in Bargah district that he has sent “Pandian Babu” to hear their grievances. “You can tell him on the grievances,” Patnaik was heard saying in Koshali language in the audio message.
    However, the Odisha Congress has raised question on the authenticity of the audio clip played by Pandian at the Bargarh meeting. “What is the proof that the audio is of chief minister? Is Pandian being sent as a secretary or as a CM? He should show us the letter issued to him by the CM,” said OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak.
    Senior leader and Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said he is not aware if the CM could speak in Koshali language in which the audio clip was played by the 5T secretary.
    Though the audio tape says Patnaik has asked his private secretary to go to people and hear their grievances, Mishra said he (Pandian) is conducting meetings and holding rallies. The security provided to him surpasses that of the chief minister, he alleged.
    Stating that people have voted Patnaik, the Congress leader (Mishra) said the privileges of the CM cannot be transferred to an officer. All democratic norms are being violated in Odisha, where elected representatives are nothing while bureaucrats rule the roost, he said.
    Mishra also tweeted the chief minister to hold a press conference and give clarification to the people.
    Former OPCC president Jayadev Jena said the audio played by 5T secretary has proved that the CM is no longer in a condition to visit anywhere.
    BJP MP Suresh Pujari raised doubts whether the voice in the audio clip was of Patnaik.
    BJD spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra said: “The opposition parties have got their reply yesterday (CM approving Pandian’s visit). The administration is run on the instruction of the chief minister.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)