New Delhi: Former West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandhopadhyay’s conduct has the potential to lead to “anarchy” and “institutional breakdown in a federal structure”, sources in the Modi government said.
Referring to Bandhopadhyay not attending a review meeting of Cyclone Yaas with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, sources in the home ministry noted that the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) was created in 1947 to protect India, a multicultural nation, where “rulers of states would have their own interests and egos, at times inflated”.
“To give protection from such susceptibilities, the Indian federal structure, the IAS would be appointed [by the Centre] and [it] would also be their Cadre controlling authority even as their services would be placed to the states … On issues related to governance and coordination, these officers were to also be a bridge between the Centre and the States on issues,” a source said.
Bandhopadhyay, whose tenure in West Bengal was initially extended for three months on a request by the Mamata Banerjee government, was handed a transfer directive by the Centre following the row over the cyclone review meeting. Both Bandhopadhyay and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not attend the meeting. Bandopadhyay was set to retire on 31 May.
“Whether CM was right or wrong is a different debate, which is raging in the political arena. Let’s leave that aside … The point here is what Alapan Bandhopadhyay, a 1987 Batch IAS officer, in his position of chief secretary of the state, was expected to do — was his conduct and behaviour appropriate of the position he held?” the source said.
“Did he (Bandhopadhyay) take a rational and judicious view and decision on the spot or did he completely leave himself to the whims of chief minister so that his post retirement could be handsomely rewarding?” the ministry source added.
The standoff in the issue between the Centre and CM Banerjee ensued after she questioned and took offence to the presence of her party turncoat Suvendu Adhikari at a Centre-state review meeting. It further escalated when the state refused to relieve Bandhopadhyay, citing his extension.
A chief secretary cannot work as the personal staff of the chief minister, unlike the principal secretary or advisor to the CM, the source said. “It is precisely for this reason all important correspondence, whether from the Centre, or the court or the President House or the Governor House are marked through him, not through the Advisor or Principal Secretary to the CM.”
If the situation were to be reversed such that central government officers in various departments refuse to attend meetings called by chief secretaries, it could amount to “institutional breakdown in a federal structure” and “anarchy”, the source said.
“Alapan Bandhopadhyay’s conduct on 28 May has made a severe dent to IAS, the supposed ‘steel frame’ of India as devised by Sardar Patel,” the source said.
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