Kolkata: In a transfer which will additional escalate tensions between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal authorities, the Union residence ministry late on Monday night slapped a showcause discover on 1987-batch IAS officer Alapan Bandyopadhyay hours earlier than he retired because the state’s chief secretary after rejecting a three-month extension.
The discover, underneath Part 51 of the Catastrophe Administration Act 2005, which is punishable by a jail time period of as much as two years or a advantageous, or each, was served to the state’s former prime bureaucrat as he skipped a assessment assembly chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Could 28 on the devastation by Cyclone Yaas within the state.
Mr Bandyopadhyay, who has been appointed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee as her chief adviser for 3 years after he retired from service, was directed to “clarify in writing” to the ministry inside three days on “why motion shouldn’t be taken in opposition to him” underneath Part 51 of the DM Act. This explicit part pertains to “punishment for obstruction” for refusal to adjust to a path given by the Central authorities.
The discover states: “The officer, by abstaining himself from the assessment assembly taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at cyclone-affected Kalaikunda in West Bengal on Could 28, has acted in a fashion tantamount to refusing to adjust to the lawful instructions of the Central authorities and is thus violative of Part 51(b) of the Catastrophe Administration Act 2005.”
“After the Prime Minister arrived at Kalaikunda for a scheduled assessment assembly with the chief minister and chief secretary of West Bengal, the Prime Minister and different members of his entourage waited for almost quarter-hour for the officers of the state authorities to reach.”
“In view of the absence, the chief secretary was known as by an official as to whether or not they wished to take part within the assessment assembly or not. Thereafter, the chief secretary arrived, together with the chief minister, contained in the assembly room and left thereafter instantly,” the discover additional added.
On Could 28, the division of personnel and coaching (DoPT), which is underneath the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions headed by the PM, had directed Mr Bandyopadhyay to report back to its workplace at North Block in New Delhi on Monday morning for his Central deputation. When he skipped it, a second discover on Monday night requested him to report on Tuesday morning. This time too, Mr Bandyopadhyay stayed away.
Whereas the DoPT is the cadre-controlling authority of IAS officers, the showcause discover was served underneath provisions of the DM Act, which is underneath the direct purview of the Union residence ministry. The Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Authority is headed by the PM.
Sources at Nabanna, the state secretariat, claimed on Tuesday night that Mr Bandyopadhyay would reply to the MHA’s discover, citing correct grounds.
Attacking the CM and Mr Bandyopadhyay, BJP MLA and Chief of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari tweeted: “Theatre of the absurd is enjoying out in West Bengal. For the sake of her personal ego, to destroy India’s federal construction and defend the chief secretary for his indiscipline, (non-MLA) CM @MamataOfficial Didi is bringing disrepute to the CM workplace and the Structure of India. What secrets and techniques does the outgoing CS know that (non-MLA) CM @MamataOfficial is transferring heaven and earth to guard him? Is it actually changing into of a CS to skip the Prime Minister’s meet organised to assist the individuals in duress because of Cyclone Yaas? No. It’s not.”
He claimed: “I demand strictest motion be taken in opposition to the outgoing CS for indiscipline, violating service guidelines at a time of a pure catastrophe and a world pandemic, irregularities, and never serving to others simply due to sinister political video games. TMC has failed the individuals of West Bengal. Looting taxpayer cash is TMC’s favorite passion. Outgoing CS and now ‘advisor’ to (non-MLA) CM @MamataOfficial will take pleasure in a cushty wage of Rs 2.5 lakhs monthly and comfortable perks. Absolutely, there are higher methods to spend the hard-earned cash of the taxpayers.”
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