BHUBANESWAR: Strongly condemning the attack on the official residence of IAS officer and Chief Minister’s private secretary V Karthikeyan Pandian by BJP activists on Saturday, the Odisha branch of the IAS Officers’ Association maintained that such incidents reflect an undemocratic mindset of the perpetrators and are aimed at demoralising and creating a fear psychosis among Government servants to prevent them from discharging their duty in a free and fair manner.
An extraordinary meeting of the association chaired by Agriculture Production Commissioner BK Dhal was held here on Sunday in the wake of attack on the official residence of two of its serving members. Secretary of the association Vishal Dev said many members spoke and expressed deep anguish and agony over the incident.A resolution passed at the meeting maintained that such incidents if unchecked not only pose a grave danger of undermining administrative efficiency but also mar the image of the State. The association demanded swift and exemplary action against perpetrators of such hooliganism and vandalism as per law to ensure that they are never repeated in future.
“The State Government should put in place an appropriate system to ensure that all such cases of assaults on Government servants are taken to their logical conclusion and the criminals do not go scot-free,” the resolution said.The association also strongly condemned the incidents of assaults on Government servants of various levels during discharge of their official duty. “The association stands united with all associations against such vandalism, intimidation and threat given to any employee of the Government,” it added.
Dev said the association will meet the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and Home Secretary to place its demands. The association thanked associations of Government servants including IPS, IFS, OAS and OPS officers for condemning the incident.
The OAS Officers’ Association will also submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister on Monday demanding strong action against the culprits, said its president Saroj Samal. The Odisha Cooperative Service Officers’ Association also strongly condemned the incident.
