A political war of words has erupted between Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu over the state government’s refusal to accept the Central government’s proposal to appoint fresh IAS and IPS officers in Himachal Pradesh.
Jai Ram Thakur Criticizes Government’s Decision
Criticizing the move, Jai Ram Thakur stated in a press release:
“The Sukhu government is harming the state with its baffling decisions. While it is appointing tainted officers to advisory boards, it is rejecting new IAS and IPS officers in the state cadre. This raises serious concerns about governance.”
He further questioned:
“Why is the Chief Minister, who is spending crores on his close aides, unwilling to appoint more administrative and police officers? How does he plan to run the administration in the future—through his personal coterie?”
Emphasizing the federal structure of governance, Thakur remarked:
“Our Constitution ensures cooperation between the Central and State governments. Rejecting officers allotted by the Centre goes against this spirit. If the government refuses to take these officers, who will handle their responsibilities? Does the Chief Minister want his friends to take over the administration?”
The Leader of Opposition also termed the decision surprising ,” pointing out that while the government is spending crores on appointing Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and advisors with Cabinet ranks, it is refusing to fulfill its moral obligation by inducting new IAS and IPS officers.
CM Sukhu Defends Decision, Calls for a Reduction in Officers
Responding to the criticism, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while addressing media persons in Solan on Friday, justified the government’s stance:
“Himachal Pradesh is a small state with a population of about 70 lakhs. Given this, it is unnecessary to have 153 IAS officers in the state. Our priority is to improve the living standards of our people by allocating funds for their well-being, rather than expanding the bureaucracy.”
The Chief Minister further stated that the government is committed to reducing the present strength of 153 IFS officers too.
