Amit Kushari, IAS Retd.
The word,’Durga Shakti’ means ‘divine power’ or power of Goddess Durga who had destroyed the forces of evil to establish the kingdom of good during the Navaratras. This word has now become a household word in India because this is the name of a very honest and upright young IAS officer who is fighting a battle against some evil forces of the UP Govt. Posted as SDM in Noida she was waging a silent war against the sand mafia of Noida. Some powerful Samajwadi party MLAs who have sympathies with the sand mafia ensured that Durga Shakti was thrown out and suspended on flimsy extraneous grounds. UP Govt. had made up an excuse that communal riots could erupt if Durga Shakti was not removed. When the District Magistrate gave a report that there was no apprehension of any riot breaking out in the area because the young SDM had never ordered the demolition of any mosque wall — the entire UP Govt. fumed with anger. One minister said, “The DM should also be suspended”. Another minister said, “The IAS officers should stay within their limits in a democracy and should never cross swords with the politicians.” One ruling party MLA was caught on a camera bragging that since the officer had started needling the sand mining people, he spoke to the Chief Minister ,as well as Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav to get her suspended in just 41 minutes! This episode has got so much of publicity that the Union Govt., the Allahabad High Court and the All India IAS Association are all trying to find out a remedy in the matter so that some relief could be immediately be provided to the young officer. The UP Govt is under so much pressure from all corners that they are also trying to wriggle out of this situation although they are still in denial about the monstrous injustice that was done to the young officer.
In a recent TV interview , retired Cabinet Secretary, Subramaniam, said that what has happened to Durga Shakti is not uncommon in other states of India. Only those cases do not get so much publicity . IAS officers / IPS officers suffer silently at the hands of the politicians whenever the officer tries to stick to rules putting the political boss to discomfort.
Many people ask me whether I have seen any case like that of Durga Shakti in Jammu and Kashmir. Although it is true, that in Jammu and Kashmir officers who do not have political patronage suffer due to repeated transfers to unattractive postings, I cannot recollect any case where an honest officer was suspended or hounded by the political bosses in the State Govt. The politicians in J&K may not be embodiments of virtue and honesty (at least some of them) but one can never say that they indulge in Goondagiri like the politicians of the Hindi heartland. Since the people of J&K are, on the whole, far more polite and courteous than people from these states, the politicians are also far more polite and courteous in their behaviour. Very often the political bosses are friendly and helpful. In J&K the situation is totally dissimilar to that of UP. Rather, at times, the politicians were scared of lobbies of powerful IAS officers who formed a coterie around the Chief Minister.
These blue eyed boys dominated not only the politicians but also the rest of the bureaucracy. On one occasion a minister from Jammu district got angry with a senior bureaucrat and threw a file towards him. The bureaucrat was a blue eyed boy of the CM. Nothing happened to the officer, but the Minister from Jammu had to face the music. There were times in J&K ,in the past, when a coterie of IAS officers used to decide which Cabinet Minister will get which ministry. That is why I cannot remember any IAS/IPS officer being hounded by the ruling political class of J&K. Most of the cases of harassment were due to politics played by the blue eyed IAS officers. So there can be no comparison between UP and J&K as far as the position of the IAS/IPS officers is concerned. The Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir has only 3 seats in the Lok Sabha at his command, the remaining 3 being under the control of National parties like the Congress and BJP. On the contrary UP has 80 seats in the Lok Sabha and the politicians of UP can make or break the Govt. of India. The Prime Minister has to ensure always that Samajwadi party and BSP should not withdraw their support, otherwise the UPA Govt. would come crashing down. The Union Govt.,therefore, will never try to needle the UP Govt. on an issue like Durga Shakti’s suspension. Because of the media outcry as well as the outcry of locals of that area, the Union Govt. is forced to make some sweet, not- so- harsh, noises against the UP Govt but clearly their hands are tied. When UP ministers like Azam Khan say that sand is a natural wealth and should be looted by whoever can do it (Ram naam ka loot hai bhai, loot sako to loot lo!), not only is the UP Govt. embarassed, the helpless Union govt. has to hang its head in shame.
Will Durga Shakti be finally able to live up to the wonderful name given to her by her parents, by destroying the forces of evil that dominate the environment of UP today?
(The author is former Financial Commissioner, J&K Feedback to the author at 09748635185 or amitkus@hotmail.com )
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