Dilli Ka Babu
Border dispute
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to India last month may have soothed a few frayed nerves in Dilli, but the recent military standoff with China has set off a turf war between the Indian Army and the ministry of home affairs over who should have control over the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). The Army has for long pushed for jurisdiction over this particular paramilitary force, but the home ministry insists that it will never release ITBP from its clutches.
The recent Chinese incursion has brought the issue to a boil again, say sources, though neither contestant is willing to cede ground. Apparently, the ministry of external affairs (MEA), too, backs the home ministry on the matter, while the Army has the backing of the defence ministry. Now the issue has been turned over to national security adviser Shivshankar Menon for “arbitration” after the committee of secretaries failed to resolve it. Some believe that the home ministry’s reluctance on the issue is due to resistance from the IPS lobby, which is unwilling to serve under Army commanders. Mr Menon has a tricky task on his hands. Dilli insiders believe that the mantris haven’t weighed in yet. If and when that happens, defence minister A.K. Antony would have an upper hand.
Fixing tenures
At a time when there is talk in certain quarters about putting a tenure limit on CBI directors, the Allahabad high court has pulled up the Centre for stalling the implementation of the Indian Administrative Services (Cadre Amendment) Rules, 2006, which ensure fixed-term posting for officials at all levels across the country.
Court intervention is the result of the efforts of a former babu, S.N. Shukla, who is pushing for Uttar Pradesh and 12 other states to implement the rule that mandates a fixed term for all officers of the IAS cadre.
Ironically, the decision to implement the IAS cadre amendment rule came from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2008, though nothing much happened. But the high court prod now could change that. It could also end the transfer raj that routinely allows governments to move officials about for reasons other than purely administrative.
Wounded by words
Exceptions apart, literary expression by babus is usually frowned upon in sarkari corridors. So when Kerala cadre senior IPS officer B. Sandhya wrote a poem, I Can Only Be Like This, she was greeted by a volley of criticism from her peers and politicians unhappy with her views on politicians, government officials and media people in the country. Not surprisingly, the IPS officer-cum-poet received support from a group of writers who acknowledged and appreciated her effort.
But the storm refuses to die down. State police chief K.S. Balasubramaniam, who is her boss, not only sought an explanation on whether she had sought permission from her superiors before going public with her work, but, sources say, he has referred the matter to the government for further action. Meanwhile, the poet has reportedly published another poem. So the issue is likely to escalate, verse by verse.
Post new comment