An IAS officer who allegedly made controversial comments against Congress leaders on a popular messaging platform during the farmer stir in Madhya Pradesh was transferred.
The state government issued an order shifting Lokesh Kumar Ramchandra Jangid, posted as sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) at Vijaypur, Sheopur district, to the state secretariat , where he will serve as an under-secretary.
The 2014-batch IAS officer had reportedly termed Congress-organised protests, especially the satyagraha by its Lok Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, over farmers’ deaths in Mandsaur early this month, as a ‘nautanki’ (drama).
The officer had also allegedly made critical comments against other Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, and accused party MLAs Jitu Patwari and Shakuntala Khatik of inciting violence during the farmer agitation.
Jangid had made these comments on a WhatsApp group.
After the posts surfaced in the social media, leaders from the opposition party took objection to the bureaucrat’s utterances and complained against him to the government.
Congress MLA Ramnivas Rawat, who had complained against Jangid to the chief minister and chief secretary, said the officer had violated the code of conduct meant for bureaucrats.
“There is a code of conduct for civil servants and they should abide by it and work under norms set for them,” Rawat told PTI.
However, government officials termed Jangid’s transfer as a routine administrative matter.