Bihar: Education Minister Lambasts 'Robinhood' IAS Officers Over Negative Image In Media

Bihar Education Minister Chandrashekhar has warned IAS officers from showcasing 'robinhood image' as a way to discredit his department and create bad image in the media. As per reports, Chandrashekhar issued a letter to a senior IAS officer and urged him to refrain from making comments about developments and closed-door meetings in the ministry.

According to the contents of the letter, Chandrashekhar asked the officer to leave the job of regulating and what can and can't go the media to the Information and Public Relations department.

The opposition BJP also came to the officer and made scathing remarks against the Minister and the Nitish Kumar-led government.

"If negative things are happening in the education department, the government should accept it, and not try to paper over it and blame an IAS officer who is trying to set things right," said a statement by state BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand.

Chandrashekhar, who is from Rashtriya Janata Dal party, also saw the ruling ally Janata Dal United weigh in on the issue with spokesman Neeraj Kumar stating that Pathak is trying to 'improve the issues.'

As per the letter, the department would have no reluctance in providing information affecting the general public in accordance with the government's stated policy. However, disclosing private information without authorization is against the provisions of the Bihar Government Servant Conduct Rules, 1976, as well as the procedure set forth for disseminating news through the information and public relations department, the letter further added.

On Tuesday, when the letter was issued, a delegation from the Federation of University Teachers Association of Bihar (FUTAB) in a meeting with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who also serves as Chancellor of the universities, raised concerns about the decision by the education department to request daily attendance reports from all colleges and universities.