Stung by the remark of minor irrigation minister T G Venkatesh, who had branded IAS officers as headstrong and prone to redtapism and said there was nothing wrong if they were shot dead on the road, the IAS Officers Association on Saturday made their ire known, saying such “loose talk” of mob justice lowers the dignity of the minister’s office, demoralises the bureaucracy and brings down the image of the government.
The remark has set the stage for another row between the babulog and mantris in the Kiran Kumar Reddy government even as the powerful IAS lobby is still seething with anger over the arrests and interrogations of their colleagues in connection with various cases being probed by the CBI.
Venkatesh’s harsh talk in Kurnool on Friday was countered in equal terms on Saturday by the bureaucrats, who said the minister was trying to incite the public and create a law and order situation.
“As it is, members of our fraternity were made scapegoats due to the decisions taken by the ministers in the YS Rajasekhara Reddy government.
As if to rub salt on our wounds, the government provided legal expenses to ministers while not extending similar help to eight officers.
This is ridiculous,” remarked an IAS officer.
The Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) also condemned Venkatesh with TDP MLC Y Baburajendra Prasad calling for his immediate sacking