In a swift move, the State government on Friday placed Nagari Municipal Commissioner K. Venkatrami Reddy under suspension for his ‘adverse comments’ on the government with regard to COVID-19 crisis.
According to an order issued by the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration, Mr. Reddy “has made certain adverse comments on the government and got involved in political conversation on COVID-19, which are against to rule 17 (1) of AP Civil Services (conduct) Rules 1965.”
The order gave Sanitary Inspector (Nagari Municipality) Ch. Venkateswara Rao full additional charge of the post of Municipal Commissioner. The order said the official should not leave the Nagari municipality without prior permission from the Commissioner of Municipal Administration.
A video of Mr. Reddy, which showed him criticising the government for blocking the accounts and not supplying the COVID-19 fighting equipment such as masks and necessary gear, was widely circulated in the social media since Thursday evening. The video showed him heaping praises on local MLA and APIIC chief R.K. Roja. The purported footage mentioned Mr. Reddy as criticising the local political leaders for not responding to the COVID-19 crisis. Meanwhile, it has created ripples in the official circles in Chittoo, following a similar incident involving a medical faculty from Vishakapatnam.
It was said that Ms. Roja, after watching the video grab in the social media, spoke to Mr. Reddy, and reportedly tried to prevent any action against him by the government. However, a section of other prominent leaders of the ruling party in the district scuttled her efforts, it was observed.
