Members cutting across party lines in the Assembly on Thursday severely criticised bureaucrats stating that they were not giving due respect to elected people's representatives in violation of rules. leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra raising the issue during Zero Hour made this allegation and many members belonging to both Opposition Congress and BJP and ruling BJD supported him.
Giving an example, Mishra alleged that Sundargarh Superintendent of Police refused to meet Congress MlA Jogesh Singh despite his all out efforts. "Singh was told that since the SP was busy in recruitment of constables, he could not meet the MlA," Mishra pointed out expressing anguish over the attitude of officers towards people's representatives.
Stating that the Book Circular 47 of Parliamentary Affairs Department clearly says that the officers must respect the people's representatives and hold talks with them for implementation of programmes, Mishra alleged that senior officers like district Collectors and SPs were not paying any heed to the rules.
Mishra said though he was accorded Cabinet Minister's status as the leader of Opposition, he receives reply letters from the officers of Deputy Secretary rank and not the department secretaries. Even Ministers also do not respond to the queries of the MlAs, he pointed out. He demanded a ruling from the Speaker on this matter while BJD member Jiban Pradip Das also expressed anguish over the attitude of officers.
Former Minister and BJD spokesman Amar Prasad Satpathy and senior BJP member KV Singh Deo also demanded a ruling from the Speaker. Speaker Niranjan Pujari in his ruling said the Ethics Committee of the Assembly would examine the allegation against the Sundergarh SP. Pujari also asked the Parliament Affairs Department to reply to the queries of the MlAs raised through Special Mention within 48 hours in the House.