Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Santosh Verma, who made headlines with his comments on Brahmin women and high court judges earlier this week, is now facing action as directed by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav.
The General Administration Department (GAD) has initiated a series of administrative and disciplinary steps against Verma, who is also the president of the Madhya Pradesh Scheduled Castes and ST Officers and Employees Association, also known as AJJAKS.
In its investigation, the GAD has found that a fake and forged promotion order was prepared to facilitate Verma's elevation from the State Administrative Service to the Indian Administrative Service. As criminal cases related to the alleged forgery are pending in various courts, the state government has concluded that the IAS promotion obtained on the basis of forged documents and fraud is invalid. A proposal for his dismissal from the IAS cadre is being sent to the central government.
Officials say that Verma's reply to the show-cause notice has been found unsatisfactory and that he continues to make indecent statements. In view of this, it has been decided to issue a formal chargesheet against him.
The state government has removed Verma from the post of Deputy Secretary in the Agriculture Department and attached him to the GAD pool, without assigning any department or work.
The administrative action comes against the backdrop of a fresh political and social storm triggered by Verma's recent statements at an AJAKS conference. In a video that has gone viral, Verma accused the High Court of blocking Scheduled Tribe candidates from becoming civil judges. He alleged that the judicial recruitment process was deliberately designed to exclude SC and ST candidates.
His remarks have intensified protests by Brahmin and upper-caste organisations, which have already been agitating against Verma over his earlier controversial comment that reservation should continue "until a Brahmin gives his daughter in marriage to our son."
The Brahmin Samaj United Front has announced a large-scale protest, declaring that it will gherao the Chief Minister's residence on December 14. Preparations for the agitation will begin on December 13, with community organisations planning a march from Vallabh Bhavan after blowing conch shells at the statue of Maharana Pratap.
Verma, however, has denied wrongdoing. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, he claimed that the controversy was being used to target him due to internal leadership disputes within AJAKS.
"The target is not Santosh Verma. The target is the AJAKS office. They want to seize control of the organisation. Personal attacks on me are a distraction," he said.
