Govt will instruct Chief Secretary on action against 'overacting' officials: Revenue Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Thursday said the government will instruct the Chief Secretary to take action against "overacting" officials who directly go before the media to make allegations against legislators.

He was responding to an issue raised by JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his party MLA Sa Ra Mahesh accusing some IAS officials of high-handedness and corruption, in the assembly. ".... according to government rules, government officials are not permitted to directly go before the media and make statements. In the last few years such incidents of some officers overacting have come to light," Ashoka said.

The Minister said he will speak to the Chief Minister and the Law Minister and the government will issue instructions to officials to abide by the rules. "We will instruct the Chief Secretary to take action against errant officials immediately, when such incidents come to light," he added.

Kumaraswamy, coming to the support of his party MLA Mahesh, who raised the issue, wanted to know if the service rules permit a government official to level allegations against a legislator before the media. "Whether IAS or any other government official, if they have any information... according to my information they have to submit it to the Chief Secretary. Instead, if they bring in a system of going directly before the media. Where will things go? We have to take this seriously."

Intervening, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said he had himself spoken to the Chief Secretary advising him to give clear instructions to officials who are in the habit of going before the media and take action against such officials. "If officials speak to media on government programmes it is understandable, but they are not supposed to go before the media on other issues, it is not permitted under service rules also, and the Chief Secretary has to control it," he said. Earlier, Mahesh alleged that some officials are indulging in "loot" and the government has to control them.

Referring to IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri, without naming her, he said, "in the name of cleaning up Mysuru a bag costing Rs 4 was procured at Rs 69. Fifteen lakh bags were procured. It a loot of about Rs 6.5 crore. It needs to be inquired into." Mahesh had earlier too accused Sindhuri of indulging in rampant corruption when she was Mysuru Deputy Commissioner, and had made similar allegations against her, before the media. Sindhuri too had accused Mahesh of involvement in land scams in Mysuru.

Citing the amenities IAS officers get, the MLA said "there are honest officers too.....but some of them at the time of retirement have properties worth crores. They will be involved in scams in various governments, but the blame will come on political leaders. No action is taken against them. After retirement they come and fight elections against us." He also urged the government to take back huge accommodations given to district Deputy Commissioners and other IAS officers, and use it for public cause.

Responding to allegations against IAS officials, Minister Ashoka said Mahesh has already given notice to the Speaker to raise the issue separately in the assembly, and it can be discussed in detail, when the matter is taken up for discussion.