Principal Secretary (Public Enterprises) Surya Pratap Singh has chosen social networking site Facebook to speak against the state government’s “apathetic” attitude towards issues like crop damage and farmer suicides. He posts his comments along with newspaper reports on issues that also include reports of mass copying in Board examinations. A 1982-batch IAS officer, Singh has already faced the ire of “SP workers”. A group of over three dozen youths had reached Singh’s residence in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar on Monday and threatened him to stop posting such comments on Facebook. The immediate instigation was Singh’s post: “Anndata musibat mein aur yeh rajnaitik chakallas baji me samay kharab kyon (Sharing news reports of CM commenting on possible demolition of boundary wall of BSP office for cycle track)”. After the state government recently claimed that no farmer had committed suicide due to crop loss, Singh had written: “Annadata musibat me aatmahatya kar raha hai aur woh keh rahe hain koi nahin mar raha, kyon pareshan ho, yeh sab to chalta hai! 100 se jyada mar chuke hain, ab to jaagna chahiye (shared news reports of government’s claims that no farmer committed suicide)”. [related-post] Another post stated: “Annadata musibat me tatha Lucknow me gramin cricket league ka glamour” (shared photographs of CM batting in the opening of the cricket tournament and Bollywood singer performing at the event)”. “These comments are not against the government but are suggestions to correct what is wrong. Posting comments on the social media is not against service rules. But if any person takes them in a wrong way, I am ready to face any action.” Singh told The Indian Express. Claiming that service rules permits an IAS officer to associate with any social work without taking the government’s nod, he said: “Being a civil servant, I am accountable to the people and weaker section and not to any political master.” Singh had recently conducted voluntary inspection in 151 examination centres in 26 districts during UP Board examinations. On Facebook, he has said that the evaluation system has deteriorated with the future of Class X and XII students hanging in balance. He has also created a Facebook page, ‘Nakal Roko Abhiyan’, and a virtual organisation — Voluntary Action for Social Transformation — to create awareness against copying. During his earlier posting in the education department, Singh had collected cellphone numbers of nearly 65 lakh students who appeared for Class X and XII examinations. Now, he sends texts to them regularly, appealing to them to avoid copying. He has also collected cellphone numbers of gram pradhans, ANMs, panchayat secretary, ASHA workers and lekhpals of over one lakh villages. These days he is sending texts, urging them to ask farmers not to commit suicide as they will soon get financial help. On Wednesday, Singh on Facebook commented against the state government’s proposal to centralise the system of issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for opening CBSE and ICSE schools in UP. He claimed that the new system will increase ‘expenditure’ (read bribe) in getting NOCs. Singh had also joined an agitation led by teachers who have refused to evaluate UP Board answersheets. Singh has been transferred five times during the last one-and-a-half years. He had joined as principal secretary (Industry) in July, 2013. Six months into his stint, he was first transferred to board of revenue, then minor irrigation, rural engineering services, secondary education and now public enterprises.
