In the latest in a series of such incidents in Bihar of late, in which officials have complained about use of foul language by their superiors, a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer on Thursday took to Twitter to express his “hurt over receiving abuses” from “DG Madam” and applied for a two-month leave.
“I had assumed the responsibility as IG (homeguard & fire services) on October 18, 2022, and have been trying my level best to discharge my duties. However, every day since then, unnecessarily getting abuses from the DG Madam (recorded too). Really feeling hurt today,” tweeted Vikas Vaibhav, an IG (inspector general) of police.
When contacted, Vaibhav, a 2003-batch IPS officer, refused to elaborate.
However, officials at the state’s home department, not willing to be named, confirmed that the IPS officer had applied for a two-month leave beginning Monday (February 13), reportedly in protest against the alleged foul language used against him by Shobha Ohotkar, director general (DG) of homeguards and fire services, at a meeting on Wednesday.
Ohotkar, who is a 1990-batch IPS officer, too refused to speak on the issue.
A senior official of the department, pleading anonymity, however, recounted an alleged incident from January 20 when deputy IG Binod Kumar reportedly fainted in the office after getting a reprimand from Ohotkar.
“A group of officials of the homeguards and fire services have met additional chief secretary (home) Chaitanya Prasad and complained about the DG’s behaviour. Hopefully, ACS will intervene as the situation is worsening,” said the official.
The latest incident comes at a time when the state government is probing alleged use of foul language by senior IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer K K Pathak, currently additional chief secretary (ACS), department of prohibition and excise, after a video clip purportedly showing his outburst against Bihar Administrative Service Association (BASA) officials went viral on the social media. Pathak later regretted his language at the meeting, but the inquiry is on.
Earlier, senior IAS officer Harjot Kaur had to issue an apology after her response to schoolgirls’ request for free sanitary napkins stirred a controversy and an embarrassed government also had to issue a statement that it was already being provided free in schools as part of its policy. Kaur is the ACS, department of mines & geology, and managing director of the Bihar Women Development Corporation.
“Today, you are asking for sanitary pads, tomorrow you will ask for condoms,” she had said at an event, causing an uproar and prompting with the National Commission for Women (NCW) to serve her a notice. However, her apology put a lid on the matter.