Former Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Sunday demanded that the Centre take action against the District Collectors of Siddipet and Kamareddy for touching the feet of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in full public view, violating the All India Service Rules.
In a letter to President of India Ramnath Kovind, he said the Collectors of Siddipet and Kamareddy districts P Venkatrami Reddy and A. Sharath respectively had violated the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, by touching Chief Minister’s feet in full public view during the launch of District Collectorate office complexes on June 20, 2021, in their districts.
“They are not only IAS officers but also District Magistrates. They have sent the wrong message and set a wrong precedent by bowing before the Chief Minister, who is a political functionary,” he said in the letter that was also sent to Union Minister of State for Personnel Jithendra Singh.
Mr. Shabbir Ali said that Section 3 (ii) of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, clearly says ‘Every member of the Service shall maintain Political Neutrality’. But the actions of both District Collectors clearly exposed that they were not maintaining political neutrality. “The Chief Minister is also the president of Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Therefore, by bowing down and touching his feet, the District Collectors have conveyed a message to the common people that they were inclined towards the ruling party,” he said.
The Congress leader alleged that by touching the feet of the Chief Minister at a public function, both Collectors had insulted the Constitution and behaved like political functionaries.
