Representatives of IAS Officers’ Association met Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy in the Secretariat on Tuesday and complained to him against the reported statement of Minor Irrigation Minister T G Venkatesh that non-functioning IAS officers should be shot dead.
They told the CM that the minister has repeated his statement instead of expressing his regrets after they protested. They have asked the Chief Minister to take suitable action against the minister.
It is learnt that the IAS officers association has initially thought of filing a police case against the minister for inciting violence against them. They have also consulted legal experts, who said there was a clear case and they could complain to the police. However, wiser counsel prevailed and the association leaders first wanted to talk to the Chief Minister, who was then in East Godavari district tour. They met the Chief Minister, who returned home on Tuesday. It is learnt that the IAS officers would wait for the Chief Minister to reprimand the minister before going to the police.
IAS officers are stating that the statement of the minister might embolden the people to attack officers in the field. It is learnt that Venkatesh was peeved when the officers chose to ignore his instructions of de-silting minor tanks and irrigation canals before the onset of monsoon, despite his being the concerned minister and order-issuing authority.
–Agencies