The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the Kerala Government’s move to chargesheet an IAS officer for writing an article supporting the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sivagiri Mutt in 2012.
The article written by B Ashok came in the backdrop of Modi being invited for a seminar by the Mutt to which both major parties in the State—Congress and CPI(M)— had opposed and demanded other speakers to boycott the seminar. Ashok was then the Vice-Chancellor of Veterinary and Animal Science
University in which capacity he attended the seminar with Modi and in his article condemned the boycott call by political parties. Subsequently, the State Government initiated disciplinary action against him and denied him promotion.
The 1998 batch Kerala cadre officer approached the Kerala HC which failed to agree with him following which he brought his appeal to the apex court. A bench of Justices J Chelameswar and AM Sapre heard senior advocate KV Vishwanathan for the aggrieved civil servant and issued stay on the state’s decision and HC order as well. Ashok submitted that being a Vice Chancellor, only the Chancellor (the Governor of Kerala) could initiate disciplinary action since University is an autonomous institution.
At present the officer is posted as Special Secretary in the Sainik Welfare Department in the State.