Amidst the controversy surrounding the Centre’s directive to appoint ‘district rath prabharis’ (special officers) to celebrate the achievements of the Modi government, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a decisive step. In a letter addressed to Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the ECI has asked the government not to appoint these special officers in the poll-bound states and the Tapi assembly constituency of Nagaland, where a by-election is scheduled to be held.
This decision comes amidst widespread criticism from opposition parties and former bureaucrats after the government’s circular was issued. The circular issued on 17 October read: “Nominate officers of the rank of joint secretaries/director/deputy secretary till the gram panchayat level in all the 765 districts of the country to deploy them as “district rath prabharis (special officers)” between November 20, 2023 and January 25, 2024 to “showcase/celebrate the achievements of the last nine years” of the Modi government.”
Notably, according to The Wire, this circular was criticized by former bureaucrats like EAS Sarma, a former secretary in the Union government, who urged the ECI to intervene and revoke the order, expressing concerns about the misuse of government officials for political purposes. He emphasized the inappropriate deployment of officers from the Defence Forces for showcasing the government’s achievements.
Following this, former IAS officer MG Devasahayam endorsed Sarma’s letter, and Congress spokespersons such as Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera took to social media to question the Modi government’s actions.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge subsequently wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, denouncing the blatant politicization of civil servants and soldiers and highlighting the violation of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964. Kharge’s letter expressed concerns that soldiers becoming “marketing agents for government schemes” could lead to the dangerous politicization of the armed forces.
The Election Commission of India’s notification comes amidst this backdrop.
Further, the ECI has also asked the Central government to not undertake the proposed Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in the five election-bound states till December 5.
The ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp’ yatra, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 15 during Birsa Munda Jayanti, is a large-scale outreach program focused on government schemes and initiatives. It is set to involve over 2,500 Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) vans. These vans will traverse 2.5 lakh gram panchayats and 3700 urban local bodies in more than 14,000 locations, with a particular focus on tribal areas.
As part of the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra,’ customized vehicles or ‘raths’ will be dispatched across the nation to reach the beneficiaries of central government schemes. The yatra aims to educate the public about the benefits of these schemes through personal stories, experience sharing, street plays, and quizzes, making it a comprehensive effort to create awareness about government initiatives.
Disclaimer: This news article was written by Mokokchung Times with inputs from sources as cited.