THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior IAS officers will meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday to convey their ire against the ‘’abuse of power’’ by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). The day will also see the first-ever mass protest by Kerala’s top officers who will go on a casual leave.
The decision to take the “protest leave” was taken by a meeting of the association on Saturday that observed that VACB’s actions have affected the morale of civil service officers.
“The leave is to express our sadness, frustration and professional dissatisfaction and to show our solidarity with our aggrieved colleagues in allowing the present Vigilance Director to continue abusing his powers,” according to a note by the association.
According to the officers, Vigilance Director Jacob Thomas is misusing his position for vengeance and personal vendetta. The latest incident that irked the officers was the Vigilance decision to implicate Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Paul Antony as third accused in the nepotism case against former Industries Minister E P Jayarajan. There were reports that the Vigilance is collecting evidence against Health Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan and P H Kurien as well.
A senior officer told Express that they were more worried about the government’s silence that “encourages” the Vigilance Director to falsely implicate and defame officials of undisputable repute.
“As Paul Antony has not conducted any rule violation or fraud, except implementing the written instructions of the Minister, he will not be held guilty by the court. The Vigilance Director too knows this, but he wants to put Antony under a cloud,” he said. It is learnt that at least 50 per cent of senior officers have placed leave requests with the Chief Secretary by Sunday evening. Officers who are attending to emergency duties of law and order, District Collectors and Sub-Collectors will work in public interest.