Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar defends deployment of IAS officers for Opposition meet

Amid criticism, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday defended the deployment of over two dozen IAS officers to receive Opposition leaders for the 'United We Stand' conclave. 

The BJP and JD(S) have slammed the Congress government for “misusing” the government machinery for a political event. 

"Various chief ministers and former union ministers who arrived in Bengaluru were treated as state guests. As per protocol, officers were assigned only to welcome the guests. Apart from that, the state government had no role in this programme. Such compliance of protocol happened under all governments in the past," Siddaramaiah said in a tweet. 

Siddaramaiah's deputy DK Shivakumar, the Karnataka Congress president, also defended the government. "There’s a Congress government in the state. There’s a protocol when it comes to state guests. I received some chief ministers while other ministers received senior leaders by deputing officers as per protocol. This system has been there,” he insisted.

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In a tweet, the BJP shared two lists containing names of 29 IAS officers assigned to various Opposition leaders. “Congress misuses government machinery to welcome its ‘allies’, some of them out on bail! This is a blatant breach of privilege & disregard for constitutional authority,” the BJP said. 

In its greed to wrest power by forging an alliance Congress has performed last rites for pride,heritage & self esteem of Karnataka. It is wrong on part of @INCKarnataka to depute IAS officers to serve its alliance leaders. Is this what they meant walk the talk @IASassociation 1/7 pic.twitter.com/TvcEDy68FM

— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) July 18, 2023

Former minister S Suresh Kumar, in a statement, said it was "unfortunate" that IAS officers are made to work as "attendants" to some leaders who are out on bail. Responding to Siddaramaiah, Kumar asked if Sonia was a CM or a former union minister. 

JD(S) legislature party leader H D Kumaraswamy also slammed the Congress government in a series of tweets tagging the IAS Association. The former CM pointed out that the Opposition meeting was neither a government programme nor the swearing-in of a new regime. “Deputing responsible officers...is a grave injustice done to 6.5 crore Kannadigas,” he charged. 

The JD(S) leader said this was a “clear violation” of rules governing the conduct of IAS officers. “I was surprised & shocked that officials agreed to do this job knowing that it would dent their self-respect & honour,” he said, accusing the “Capitalist Congress” of introducing “IAS bonded labour policy”. 

According to Kumaraswamy, IAS officers are symbols of the state’s ability and efficiency. “They play a key role in the state’s development. Deputing these officials as door keepers to serve politicians reflects the height of the arrogance of the ruling party,” he said.