Inspired by the ongoing work carried out by poll strategist Prashant Kishor, six bureaucrats on Tuesday joined the latter’s campaign Jan Suraj with an aim to bring change in the society. Jan Suraj Padyatra was started on October 2, 2022, a march on foot across the State to connect people.
Out of the six, two were from the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) and four from Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) having served on different posts in Bihar. They all were gathered at Jan Suraj office in Patna located at Patliputra Colony.
The bureaucrats who joined the campaign include Suresh Sharma of 1985 batch officer (BPSC) from Gopalganj district who retired in 2015 as Joint Secretary health department. Lalan Singh Yadav of Munger district of 1981 batch officer (UPSC) retired in 2017. Mr. Yadav was District Magistrate (DM) of Katihar and Nawada. The last service was commissioner Saharsa.
Similarly, Ajay Kumar Dwivedi (BPSC) of 1981 batch served as special secretary in the cabinet department. He hails from West Champaran district and retired in 2015. Tulsi Hazra from East Champaran district is 1981 batch (BPSC) officer, retired in 2014 as administrator, Bettiah Raj.
Arvind Kumar Singh, former district magistrate of Purnea and Kaimur of 1981 batch officer (UPSC) retired in 2016 as secretary. Gopal Narayan Singh from Aurangabad of 1983 batch officer (BPSC) last served as deputy secretary rural works department and retired in 2014 also joined Jan Suraj.
Rakesh Kumar Mishra of (1986) batch IPS officer who has been associated with Jan Suraj since beginning introduced the bureaucrats. Mr. Mishra retired in 2020 as Director General (Home Guard), Bihar, and also served as Superintendent of Police (SP) in different districts like Aurangabad, Kaimur, Bettiah and Nawada. He also was Inspector-General (I-G) Darbhanga for two years besides being in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
All former bureaucrats, who joined the Jan Suraj, praised the initiative of Mr. Kishor claiming that he is doing something different from others and awakening the people living in rural Bihar.
“I have never seen such a man who is visiting the villages and pinpointing their mistakes and making them responsible for the poor development. That’s his strength because very few can dare this work. He is saying that if there is no development in the village it is not because of government ignorance but the people who are voting them to form the government,“ Mr. Sharma said.
They all slammed the government of Nitish Kumar alleging that overall development has not taken place in Bihar. They levelled serious allegations on the government including rampant corruption.
The Hindu asked why the bureaucrats in power always becomes yes man of the government and never opposes if politicians take wrong decision and now levelling allegation after retirement
Replying to the question, Mr. Yadav said, “I accept that there is general notion about the bureaucrats but I personally used to oppose if anything was not as per the rules.”
Mr. Mishra also replied to the query and said, “In democracy, there has to be a say of people representative and accordingly the administration functions. The Chief Minister and ministers to be on priority and the officers support them. If there would be a clash between bureaucrats and politicians, then no institution can function. So, we are not taking the initiative to change the leadership.”
Mr. Kishor was not present as he was busy on his foot march in Vaishali district. In the beginning itself, Kishor had announced that he would rope in the educated people into Jan Suraj and give them tasks to bring change in the society.
In all likelihood, Mr. Kishor would launch the political party before the Lok Sabha election in 2014 and before that he is just making the proper platform. Mr. Kishor, recently, tasted the first victory in Bihar politics when Afaq Ahmed, an independent candidate supported by Jan Suraj, won against grand alliance candidate by 674 votes in the teachers’ legislative council, Saran bypoll last month.
