BHUPALPALLY : Bhupalpally District Collector A Murali has found himself in the midst of a controversy once again for making controversial comments against officials. This time he pulled up Mandal Parishad Development Officers (MPDOs) and called them names and even suspended an MPDO.
The Collector’s action has not gone well with the MPDOs and they went on a mass leave in protest. They made it clear that until the suspension is revoked and the Collector apologised for his comments, they would not join duty.
All this started during a video conference on the construction of ISL on Tuesday, when the Collector pulled up MPDOs for not completing the work in their respective mandals. He reportedly called them Vedhavulu (stupid), Panipata rani dunnapothulu (good for nothing bufalloes), Jeetam ekkuva teeskuntaru kani pani chesta leru (drawing more salaries, but doing nothing), Meetho yem cheyyaali (what shall I do with you) and suspend cheyyaala (shall I suspend you).
He became more angry when he learnt that Ghanpuram MPDO Sridhar Swamy was not present during the video conference. Since the mandal was lagging behind in ISL, the Collector took the matter seriously and suspended the MPDO. The Collector’s behaviour during the video conference and suspension of an MPDO hurt the officials and the entire MPDOs in the erstwhile Warangal went on mass leave. They announced that until the Collector revokes the suspension and apologises for his behaviour they would not join duties.
The MPDOs met Zilla Praja Parishad (ZPP) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) S Vijay Gopal and submitted a memorandum. They also met Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari and complained to him about the Collector’s behaviour. “He assured us that he would look into the issue and see that such things do not happen in future,” an MPDO said. The suspended Ghanpuram MPDO claimed that he was not present at the video conference as he did not have information about it. “I left the office at 5 pm and around 5.30 pm I received a call that there is a video conference. I told him that I was going for a funeral. I even called up the Collector in the night and explained my situation. He did not tell me anything. On Wednesday I was served suspension orders,” he explained.