Overheard In Bhopal: Real Changes, Tug-Of-War, Keeping Eyes, Surrendered To Minister & More

Real changes

The Congress gave a slogan before the 2018 assembly in the state, ‘Waqt hai badlav ka’, which fits only one department. It has witnessed six changes in just two and a half years. The department is important for the government. But since it has seen many officers in just two and a half years, the employees, after the posting of any officer, say, “How long will he stay?” The government recently posted an additional chief secretary (ACS) in the department. An ACS was working in the department when the new government took over, and the department has seen a new ACS every six months since his transfer. Two of them retired from the department. The department is important, but many senior officers avoid joining there. They even try to ensure that they are not posted in this place. People in the corridors of power say the officer recently posted in the department will run it with coordination.

Tug-of-war

A tug-of-war is taking place between two IAS officers in a department of the state government. They cannot stand each other. The secretary of the department tries to find an opportunity to embarrass his junior officer, who gives him little importance. Before any administrative reshuffle, the junior officer waits either for his transfer or for his senior's. The junior officer is, however, keen on getting a position in any other department. Until now, the secretary was strong because he had the support of another officer, but the transfer of that officer weakened the secretary. The minister takes interest in the activities of the department, but the conflict between the two officers has become detrimental to the minister’s interests. The minister has, however, supported the secretary.

Keeping eyes

Many officers have set their eyes on an important department after its principal secretary's deputation to the centre. They wanted to take the additional charge of the department. But the government gave the charge to such an officer who had no hope of getting it. In such a situation, the principal secretary, whom the government handed over the charge of the department to, is showing little interest in work. Beyond the routine work, the PS is barely doing anything. Although the government gave the additional charge of the department to the PS, a few officers are still lobbying for it. After a minor administrative reshuffle, the government issued a transfer list, but it did not transfer anyone to the department, which disappointed a few officers. The officers still believe that the government will send someone to the department whenever it carries out the next administrative reshuffle. Against this backdrop, some officers are playing their own tricks to join the department.

Surrendered to minister

A woman collector of a district has surrendered to a woman minister. The minister and her husband control the district administration and demand money from each officer. They emphasise that if the officers cannot give them money, they should offer the duo some items. In the past, the collectors posted in the district kept the extortions under control, despite the pressure the woman minister had mounted on them. The woman collector posted in the district did not initially give any importance to the minister, but now, she has totally surrendered to her. She asked the officers of some departments to arrange backhanders for the minister. The officers collect money from their respective departments and send it to the minister and her husband. The collector’s attitude has made the minister and her husband happy. Anyway, after this arrangement, the cases of corruption have increased in the district.

Casteism exists

Casteism exists in officialdom, but an open display of it happened for the first time after the transfer of some officers. The government has transferred an IPS officer to a district. Those who belong to his caste are publishing posts on social media and glorifying his efficacy, making him a hero. The people, who are making such posts, come from the same caste. A similar thing is happening to another IPS officer in a division. A woman IAS officer is also facing the same situation. Many people are publishing posts on social media about him. They, too, come off the same stock and say the woman IAS officer brought about a revolution during her tenure. A similar situation occurred in a dispute between an officer and a politician. After the dispute, some people belonging to his caste were making posts in support of the politician. On the other hand, those who belonged to the officer’s caste were publishing posts in his favour. Such cases are not good for administration.

Social media fight

Social media have been flooded with posts after the transfer of an IPS officer to a district. The groups of policemen in the district congratulated one another because of the officer's posting. Social media enthusiasts published different types of posts expressing their happiness over the officer’s posting. On the contrary, a few social media addicts called him a 'danger'. There are reports that after his posting, many people, including some policemen, distributed sweets. The situation came to such a pass that a police officer issued a video directing the cops to stop randomly publishing such posts on social media, or else they would face the music. However stern the warning may have been, it failed to stop those who were making posts against the superintendent of police, whom the people in the corridors consider inefficient. During his previous tenure in a district, he created so many problems for his colleagues that they became vocal against him. After going through the posts about the officer on social media, his colleagues in the new place of posting look worried.

Nitendra Sharma