Chandigarh: From talking of police action against parents bringing their children out for walks despite the coronavirus pandemic, to coming under fire himself for being outdoors without a mask, Chandigarh’s top IAS officer Manoj Parida was at the centre of some hectic Twitter activity last week.
Parida minced few words in a tweet on 4 June about parents bringing their children to Chandigarh’s famous Sukhna Lake. “It was sad to see people taking small children to Sukhna Lake. I really don’t mind these stupid adults ‘early departure’ through corona but risking young innocent lives of future generations is criminal. Plan to use police to drill sense in their head. what say?” he said in the now-deleted tweet.
While some agreed with Parida, a 1986-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre with over 23,000 Twitter followers, others raised objections about his language.
“Sir, you can’t call a parent of stupid or criminal mind. Every parent knows very well about the safety and well-being of their kids while going outside and at home as well,” wrote a user named RK. “They are not stupid. Sorry but your statement is not appreciated.”
Parida, however, defended his tweet. “Strong sarcastic comments are meant to provoke. Due to immunity issues, kids and old people must stay indoors. We all must be strict on this,” he said.
The tables turned Sunday as Parida posted a photo of himself meditating at Sukhna without a mask on, with the caption, “Nirvana on Sukhna”.
https://twitter.com/manuparida1/status/1269639679244226561?s=19
When his followers questioned why his face wasn’t covered, Parida replied that it was OK to remove one’s mask for two minutes in order to have a sip of water. “On request same picture with mask will be sent on DM (direct message),” he tweeted in response.
https://twitter.com/manuparida1/status/1269644536487313411?s=19
When another follower mentioned that he was setting the wrong precedent, as the general public has been advised to stay indoors, he retorted, “How long can we avoid morning or evening walk. It is not banned. Right?”
Also Read: WHO changes guidelines on masks, says wear them when social distancing not possible
‘My personal account’
Parida serves as advisor to the Chandigarh administrator, and joined the union territory administration in December 2018.
The nature of his Twitter remarks have put off many people.
“How can somebody in his position talk about wishing death for someone? Why can’t adults take their children for walks?” said Chandigarh-based based advocate Rohit Sood, referring to the 4 June post.
“He is one of the most senior bureaucrats and look at the language he is using. And is he admitting that police is ‘used’ for drilling sense into the heads of people? The tweet smacks of arrogance.”
However, Parida is unfazed. “I believe in and enjoy interacting with people on tweets,” Parida told The Print when asked about his Twitter responses.
Speaking to The Indian Express last week, Parida had said his tweets are personal and not offered in his official capacity. “Twitter is not an official gazette notification that every word has to be legally worded, vetted and then stated. It is written in a humorous way to touch where it hurts — ‘fear of death’,” he said.
“I am sure Chandigarh twitterati have right sense of humour, except diehard critics.”
The fact that his tweets are offered from a personal perspective is also laid out in his Twitter bio.
Chandigarh-based advocate Rajiv Godara, however, said the adviser cannot hide “behind the fig leaf of calling his account personal”.
“He is sharing official information on this account. He is routinely asking the public about his official decisions. It is, in that sense, not a strictly personal account,” Godara added.
Also Read: Sanitation tunnels, thermal screening, thin crowd — new normal at Delhi’s religious places
He is looking for a political seat after his retirment….