Political and bureaucratic circles seem amused over an angry Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan targeting the State’s bureaucracy It appears that Pradhan is angry over the BJD Government but unable to directly express anger against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik; so, he is blaming the bureaucracy.
This is because Patnaik is very close to Pradhan’s Delhi mentor Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who being the Parliamentary Affairs Minister needs the BJD’s support in the Rajya Sabha to clear several crucial Bills.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah also share bonhomie with Patnaik.
No wonder, Pradhan is targeting DGP Sanjeev Marik, who has revealed a bitter truth that hits the NDA Government.
Marik recently stated that the Centre’s discontinuance of allocation for police modernisation would hit the State security force.
Instead of admitting the fact that the Centre has stopped funds for police modernisation, Pradhan targeted the DGP claiming that the DGP did not behave as an All-India Service officer. He seems to have issued a veiled threat to the Odisha bureaucracy, saying the All-India Service officers are controlled from Delhi.
"I heard the recent criticism of the Odisha DGP. This is not correct on part of an All-India Service officer to give such a statement," Pradhan said.
Alleging that the State’s ruling party has been engaging IAS and IPS officers in political activities, Pradhan said the officers should keep it in mind that they are employees of the Government of India.
In this connection, a bureaucrat here cited former Union Coal Secretary PC Parakh’s reference to Pradhan in his memoir that Pradhan as a member of a Parliamentary Committee on Coal Ministry had used humiliating words against him at a committee meeting. Parakh has written that he was disgusted with Pradhan 's "insulting" behaviour and had offered to quit his post
Marik had told reporters after attending a meeting presided by Chief Secretary GC Pati on April 29, "Stopping of funds for police modernisation will certainly hit the police force. The Centre should review its decision.”