IAS officers' body unhappy over 'character assassination' of members in media

NEW DELHI: In the wake of the row between the Chief Minister of Delhi and the Lt Governor, the central IAS officers' body today slammed the "unwarranted and undignified treatment" meted out to some civil servants in Delhi government and also expressed anguish over the "character assassination" of its members in the media.

"The association resolved to strongly condemn the recent cases of unwarranted and disrespectful treatment meted out to some IAS officers working in Delhi government.

"It resolved to express its anguish over character assassination of IAS officers in media, using official machinery, without any substantive ground, thereby tarnishing their reputation," said Sanjay Bhoosreddy, Honorary Secretary of the association.

"This undignified treatment meted to civil servants is highly demotivating and demoralising to the entire rank and file of the civil service and is clearly unacceptable," he added.

The association has resolved to urge the President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, chief ministers of the states and administrators of all the Union Territories to create a conducive atmosphere wherein all government officers, including senior civil servants, can function in a free, impartial and dignified manner without becoming victims of political crossfire, he said.

The association represents 4,802 officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) working across the country.

Bhoosreddy, who is a senior IAS officer working as Joint Secretary in Agriculture Ministry, was briefing the media on the outcome of a meeting of the central IAS officers' association here yesterday which was called to discuss the controversy over the appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as Delhi's acting chief secretary.