Senior IAS officer SP Singh who is at dagger drawn with the state government has applied for Voluntary Retirement saying “it was no longer possible to work in this stifling atmosphere where the nexus between politicians, bureaucracy and media is ruling the roost.”
Singh, who is Principal Secretary, Bureau of Public Enterprises, has sent a letter seeking terirement through post to Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan on Thursday. He made his letter public by posting it on the facebook.
He said in his three page letter that when he had joined the IAS in 1982 people used to look at Civil servants with respect. Even the bureaucrats of those times stayed away from corrupt practises as they believed that their behaviour would bring a bad name to the service.
“Time has changed now as manager like officers are calling the shots. They are ruling the roast in governments of all political hue. Sensitivity has gone, The sword of Damocles’ always hangs over the heads of District Magistrates as they fear that if they fail to comply with the order of even a chutt bhaiya neta of ruling party he might be suspended or transferred,” Singh said adding that he was no longer interested in such service any more.
He has requested the Chief Secretary to accept his VRS application and relieve his at the earliest. He said till his application is accepted he will continue to work in the department.
Incidentally, Singh was up in arms against the government and was writing regularly about the corruption among ministers in social media. He has also raised the issue of cheating in Board Examination and how copying mafia had hijacked the examination system.
“I want to quit the service and serve the people as common man,” Singh told The Pioneer refusing to elaborate on his application seeking VRS.
Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan told The Pioneer that he has received the letter and it is being processed. “The Government has sought an explanation from Singh but it is yet to receive its reply,” he said.