SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said he had taken up the conduct of a senior IAS officer with the Chief Secretary in the strongest possible terms after a video of an online government meeting surfaced on social media.
Reacting to the circulating video, Omar said the officer’s conduct was prima facie not in keeping with the standards expected of a senior IAS officer, adding that subsequent threats issued to a junior JKAS officer had made the matter worse.
“I’ve seen the video of the online government meeting that is circulating on social media. Prima facie the conduct of the senior officer was not in keeping with the standards expected of a senior IAS officer & the subsequent threats issued to a junior JKAS officer only make matters worse,” he said in a post on X.
The Chief Minister said he had taken up the matter with the Chief Secretary, while pointing out that control over IAS officers in the Union Territory rested with Lok Bhavan.
“Unfortunately as a UT control over IAS officers rests with Lok Bhavan but as CM I’ve instructed the CS to ensure the JKAS officer faces no retributive action,” he added.
Omar said that had Jammu and Kashmir been a state, the IAS officer allegedly seen abusing the junior JKAS officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department pending an inquiry into his conduct.
“Had J&K been a state the IAS officer seen abusing a young JKAS officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department pending an inquiry into his conduct,” he said.
He urged the authorities exercising control over IAS officers in the Union Territory to set an example and ensure that abusive and threatening behaviour was not brushed under the carpet.
“As a UT we expect the authorities with control over the IAS officers to set the right example & ensure abusive, threatening behaviour is not brushed under the carpet,” he added. — (KIMS)