The Tamil Nadu government has asked an IAS officer to stop “preaching and propagating” as it feared that his activities would cause “communal disharmony”–a move that was welcomed by a radical Hindu group but which the official plans to challenge in courts.
Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan, in a letter last week, told IAS officer C Umashankar that it had come to the government’s notice that he was to take part in ‘preaching and propagating activities’ in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts from January 24 to January 26 “which are likely to cause communal disharmony and disturbance to public order.”
Umashankar cancelled his tour of the three districts after he was directed not to “indulge in such activities which are unbecoming of a member of the service”. He was also warned of “appropriate action” under the All India Services (conduct) Rules, besides being chided for “indulging in activities” on January 16 in Kanyakumari “which created disturbance to public order” and resulted in police registering two cases.
Umashankar, who says he is Hindu officially but Christian by faith, said the directive was against his fundamental rights and that he would move the court against it.
Reacting to the episode, Hindu Munnani founder Rama Gopalan said his organisation had often ‘condemned’ Umashankar
for “continuously” engaging in “preaching and propagating” a particular denomination of the Christian faith and that it had filed a complaint with the government on this matter.
His action was contradictory to his service rules, he said in a statement. Umashankar, Commissioner for Disciplinary Proceedings, had exposed the Cremation Shed scam case in the 1991-96 AIADMK government, which resulted in conviction of then Minister C Selvaganapathy, who later joined DMK and became a Rajya Sabha member.
Selvaganapathy lost his Rajya Sabha membership as a result of his conviction. Further, during the previous DMK regime, Umashankar was appointed Head of Arasu Cable TV in wake of the service provider’s launch following a tiff between party president and then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and his grandnephews, the Maran brothers. They had later patched up.
Umashankar, a Dalit, had courted controversy when doubts were raised about the genuineness of his caste
certificate and was suspended pending enquiry before it was revoked.
Hindu Munnani (Hindu Front) today welcomed the directive issued by Tamil Nadu government asking a controversial IAS officer to desist from carrying out “preaching and propagating” activities.
–PTI