Shimla: Himachal Pradesh IPS association has urged the state government not to attach any IPS officer with Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh who recently criticised IAS and IPS officers from outside the state, particularly those from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
This comes at a time when many of Singh’s ministerial colleagues have distanced themselves from his remarks, saying ministers should know how to get officers to work.
The controversy stems from Singh’s statement accusing some non-Himachali officers of undermining the state’s interests and “Himachaliyat” (the ethos of Himachal Pradesh).
His remarks led to a rare public rift within the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress Cabinet and strong rebukes from civil servants’ bodies.
In a statement, the IPS Association (HP) highlighted the potential harm of Singh’s remarks, saying: “Such statements have the potential to damage the morale of the police service, create distrust within the police machinery, weaken institutional cohesion, and adversely affect public governance and service delivery.”
The association further urged the state government “to take serious note of the issue and not post or attach any IPS officer with Vikramaditya Singh,” noting that the comments tend to create an “artificial and undesirable divide between Himachali and non-Himachali officers serving in the state”.
Echoing similar concerns, the Himachal IAS Officers’ Association said while it fully respects the prerogative of elected representatives to hold opinion and to ensure accountability in governance, “public statements singling out officers on the basis of their state of origin are inappropriate and risky, causing avoidable harm to the morale and neutrality of the civil services”.
“Public remarks that attribute administrative shortcomings to the regional origin of officers undermine the foundational spirit of the All India Services… Such generalisations can inadvertently erode public confidence in institutions and adversely affect the effective functioning of the administration,” it added.
A senior civil servant, speaking to ThePrint on condition of anonymity, described the situation as an “unnecessary controversy”.
“The minister was referring to one particular officer but he should have refrained from using words like UP or Bihar, until he intentionally wanted to do so. And officer associations should not indulge in all this. Such things keep happening and reacting to it is almost like validating it,” he said.
Defending his stance, Vikramaditya Singh told ThePrint: “I can’t appease everyone that too at the cost of Himachal’s interest. As I earlier said I respect all the officers. I have seen the bureaucracy since my childhood and I am raised with the education to respect them. But when I have seen something happening against the state’s interest, why should I keep quiet. I am surprised why this is being treated as a controversy, its a serious thing.”
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Divisions within Himachal Congress
In an extensive interaction with the media Tuesday, Vikramaditya Singh elaborated further: “The interests of Himachal Pradesh are paramount and of utmost importance to us. If we are here today, it is because of the blessings, support, and love of the 75 lakh people of Himachal Pradesh.
“We respect everyone, whether they are IPS officers or IAS officers, and we understand the constitutional framework very well. We know that any officer from any part of the country can work in any state.”
He, however, added, “….safeguarding the interests of Himachal Pradesh is our paramount duty, and if there is any tampering with that, if there is any compromise, we will not tolerate it. The resources of Himachal Pradesh belong to the people of Himachal Pradesh. If any officer thinks that they are not a servant but have become a ruler, then they are mistaken. It is necessary to put a stop to the voices and intentions of such officers.”
The row began earlier this week when Singh, in a social media post, endorsed sentiments expressed by Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri in December. Singh accused some senior IAS and IPS officers from UP and Bihar of disregarding Himachali values, showing scant regard for the state’s welfare, and engaging in arbitrary distribution of central funds for infrastructure projects like roads.
He stressed that while officers from other states are respected and welcome under the constitutional framework, they must prioritise serving Himachal’s people and not act as overlords.
“The interest of Himachal Pradesh is above all,” Singh said, while speaking to mediapersons. “We fully respect officers from other states, but they need to learn from Himachali officers. No compromise with Himachal’s interests will be tolerated. As long as you are in Himachal, serve the people of Himachal; do not make the mistake of acting like a ruler,” he added.
The backlash was swift. Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi distanced himself from the broad-brush criticism, telling the media: “I do not agree with it. Many officers from outside the state who are serving here are doing good work. One has to be specific about who is doing wrong. Making a mere sweeping statement does not get the job done. By doing so, you are discouraging those who are doing good work.”
Negi advised Singh to identify specific errant officers rather than generalising based on place of origin.
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh was even more direct, calling the remarks “unfortunate” and attributing any issues to ministers’ own abilities. “If some minister has made such a statement, it is unfortunate, no matter which state they belong to,” he said.
Adding, “Ministers should also know how to get work done from the officers. If someone does not know how to get work done, it is their shortcoming, not that of the government.”
Anirudh emphasised that officers function as “pillars of the government,” regardless of their home state, and pointed out that in his own department, most officers are from outside Himachal yet no issues have emerged.
He also highlighted the state’s dire financial situation, noting that no new IAS officers have been posted since 2016 and that Chief Minister Sukhu is managing finances amid challenges. “Making statements against officers in such a situation is not great,” Anirudh added.
Reacting to Anirudh’s critique, Vikramaditya Singh Wednesday drew a pointed comparison to a previous incident involving his colleague.
“I give full respect to the officers but not of that kind which was given to the NHAI officers last year,” he said.
The reference was to an incident from July 2025 when Anirudh was accused of assaulting a National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official during a site inspection at Bhattakuffar after a building collapse.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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