End spat between IAS officers, HDK tells govt.

Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday asked the BJP government to show courage and act immediately over the face-off between Mysuru’s two IAS officers.

The confrontation between Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri and MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag has caused doubts in the people about the ‘existence’ of the State government. “Let the government show the nerve to stop the officers’ spat. Otherwise, the State will lose its respect at the national level and the government will be solely held responsible for this,” the former Chief Minister said, in a series of tweets.

Mr. Kumaraswamy sought to know why the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary were silent. The issue has embarrassed the government, he said.

He asked the government to either quit or display grit to put an end to the spat. “Imagine the plight of the State if officers in other departments resort to such paths and start accusing each other in public,” he said.

If the government has opted to remain mum, the elected representatives were issuing statements in favour, and against the two officers.

Referring to the tragedy that took place in Chamarajanagar recently where people died of oxygen shortage, he said the Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar had publicly accused his Mysuru counterpart in connection with the incident. A situation of lack of coordination among the officers (perhaps referring to COVID-19 situation) has appeared in Mysuru now. The government must exhibit its responsibilities before any untoward incident happens amidst the officers’ run-in.

Mr. Kumaraswamy claimed that the two IAS officers had some issues earlier and the face-off was not entirely new. It’s because of the Chief Minister or the government’s mishandling that the issue has reached this stage, he alleged.

Citing the allegations of Mysuru MP Pratap Simha against the Deputy Commissioner, he said the government kept mum when allegations were levelled against the officers in Mysuru. If the MP seeks accounts for ₹42 crore from the DC, the DC seeks accounts for ₹12 crore from the (MCC) Commissioner. “What’s the reason for the government’s apathetic silence,” the former Chief Minister asked.

“The government seems to have closed its eyes, ears and mouth. It lacks respect. Maybe, because of its lapses or to please somebody, the government remained mute. The people of Karnataka are laughing at the government over the way it is functioning,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said, concluding his tweets.