Urban Mirror Correspondent
New Delhi, July 12: The former Secretary government of India and national president Lok Gathbandhan Party (LGP) Vijay Shankar Pandey today criticized the Jammu and Kashmir and the central government for initiating disciplinary action against 2010 batch IAS officer Shah Faesal for his tweet on frequent rape cases all over the country.
Mr Pandey said in a statement on Thursday that speaking truth is not at all violation of law and the government should see Faesal’s comment on his tweeter handle in this perspective. Mr Paney said Faesal’s comment “Population +patriarchy +illiteracy +alcohol +porn +technology +anarchy = rapistan” is based on the facts and the IAS officer cannot be hauled up for his statement on facts. Mr Pandey said the Supreme Court also, in its judgment, has said that public interest is paramount in the eyes of law as the officers are first, the citizen of the society of the country, then an IAS officer. Mr Pandey said an officer cannot be punished in the name of code of conduct if he/she speaks out truth well within the parameters drawn out by the Apex court of the country.
Mr Pandey said the order of the department of personnel and training pointing out Faesal’s failure in maintaining absolute honesty and integrity in discharge of his duties, indicates the government’s jaundiced views and directionless approach in dealing with the serious social matters plaguing the society. Mr Pandey said the tweet did not indicate dishonesty or lack of integrity on the part of the officer. “In fact he has spoken truth”, Mr Pandey said, adding that safety of women in the country has become a major issue and no citizen living in the virtual world in the country, can turn a blind eye to this menacing problem faced by him/her.
It may be recalled that the Supreme Court in its judgment in Vijay Shankar Pandey vs Union of India and another had stated “the requirement of (a) democratic republic is that every action of the State is to be informed with reason. State is not a hierarchy of regressively genuflecting coterie of bureaucracy.” Mr Pandey said voice of conscience in discharge of his official duty honestly and transparently is supreme and Faesal’s conduct in this connection cannot be questioned by leveling baseless charges against him. Mr Pandey said law and order problem prevailing in various parts of the country, especially the safety of women is a matter of serious concern and action against an officer for accepting this fact as it stands, is absolutely unjustified and vindictive.
