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Journalism of Courage
On a day when 26 Opposition parties held a meeting in Bengaluru, the Congress government in Karnataka was hauled over the coals by the state Opposition for deputing IAS officers of the state to welcome the top non-BJP leaders of various parties from across the country who arrived in the city to attend the mega conclave.
JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy led the charge against the Siddaramaiah-led government over the row, even as the government maintained that these officials were deputed as per the protocol.
The controversy erupted Tuesday morning after Kumaraswamy tweeted a list of 30 leaders from various parties and the IAS officers deputed to receive them. “In its greed to wrest power by forging an alliance Congress has performed last rites for the pride, heritage & self esteem of Karnataka. It is wrong on part of Karnataka Congress to depute IAS officers to serve its alliance leaders,” he said in a tweet.
Speaking to reporters later in the day, Kumaraswamy said that deputing IAS officers to welcome senior leaders was “unprecedented”. “IAS service rules are being violated. Officials say that the CM has issued the order… It is okay if these officers are sent to welcome CMs or VIPs. But, by deputing IAS officers for everyone to act as watchmen, they have reduced the responsibilities of these officers,” he charged.
Kumaraswamy asked whether by allegedly using the IAS officers for party events the Siddaramaiah government “wanted these IAS officers (to serve) as party workers”. “This is shameful and an abuse of power by the Congress government,” he charged.
Subsequently, the BJP also latched on to the row. Former CM Basavaraj Bommai said that though there have been several conclaves of the Opposition parties in the past, the expenditure incurred by the state government and the move to depute senior IAS officers to welcome guests was “unheard of”. “There is a protocol (to depute IAS officers) if CMs of other states visit. But IAS, IPS officers escorting Dy CMs and other leaders, and working as PROs is shameful,” he charged.
Speaking to reporters, Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar said that the officials were deputed as per protocol. “When CMs of other states and other leaders visit, they are considered as state guests. We have deputed officers as per protocol,” he said, adding that it was a tradition that was also practised in the past.
Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma also maintained that the officials were deputed as per protocol. According to sources in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms – State Protocol, officials are deputed if people visiting the state are considered “state guests”. Based on the list of dignitaries received from the government, officials are deputed to welcome them, sources added.
