Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday observed that in a democratic setup there were boundaries and people were supposed to work within them.

He was talking to the press at the residence of Rajya Sabha member T. Ratnabai here on the second day of his ‘Indiramma Baata’ programme in East Godavari.

Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy made these observations when his attention was drawn to the comments of minister for minor irrigation T.G. Venkatesh on how inefficient IAS officers should be shot.

The Chief Minister said a minister or MLA, being a representative of the people, ought to show more restraint.

Besides, the officials implement the policy decisions of ministers; co-ordination between the two was needed for effective functioning of the government.

Commenting on the SC, ST sub-plan funds, the Chief Minister said that the government would take necessary action on the recommendations of the cabinet sub-committee and spend the funds for the development and welfare of these sections.

Episode indicates CM’s lack of control over mantris: Babus

Giving a new twist to the controversy where minor irrigation minister T.G. Venkatesh said that bureaucrats should be shot if they did not perform, the minister added that he had gone to the chambers of officials seeking their cooperation but the latter did not have the courtesy of offering him a seat.

To their consternation, the minister referred to officials in the singular, repeatedly using vaadu, veedu while talking to the media.

“We have a saying that a non-performer is of no worth even if he is alive,” the minister said. On the officials’ claims of honesty, Mr Venkatesh wondered how honesty would be of help when the officers did not perform at all.

He also blamed the media for not projecting the context in which he had made the remarks.
Asked whether the Chief Minister had sought an explanation from him, he said, “Why will he ask? He will seek an explanation only if he feels that I did something wrong.”

The bureaucrats, on the other hand, blamed the Chief Minister for not reining in his ministers. “This incident not only shows the minister in poor light but also establishes that the Chief Minister is hardly in control of the situation,” an officer said.

The association also decided to bring to Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy's notice the “high-handed” behaviour of the minister and several irregular orders that he had issued.

“The association’s executive committee will first meet the Chief Minister and wait for his reaction before chalking out a future course of action,” IAS Officers Association secretary Raymond Peter told this newspaper.

Readers respond

* I totally agree with G. Shankar Bhanu and M.P. Yadav. Today's politicians (most of them well educated), give illegal orders to top officers and dump them when caught — Mallikarjuna Alagappa

* Irrigation minister T.G. Venkatesh’s statement should not be taken literally. It simply means errant officials should be dealt with severely in accordance with the law. It is also evident from TGV's past that he has never been involved in any violence and is not likely to do so. One sho-uld try to understand the hidden meaning instead of jumping to legal action which is nothing but chasing the wind — Sunitha Simon

* TGV’s remarks destroyed the confidence of the people not only in the bureaucracy but also in the government. Before making such comments, politicians should remind themselves that we are living in a democracy and not in an autocracy. Secondly there is something called judicial proceedings to determine appropriate action if there is any dereliction of duty. People who support such remarks sho-uld know that killing so-mebody accused of corruption means that the same principle can be applied to suppress voices against the misuse of power — Anant Malaviya