Crushing Durga Nagpal is crushing country's executive : BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Friday said that Uttar Pradesh Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Durga Shakti Nagpal's suspension order indicated an attempt to crush the executive branch of the Indian constitution.

"The Constitution recognizes three distinct features-the legislative, the executive and the judiciary. Here is an attempt to crush the executive. This could result in a constitutional failure in this country. It's very serious. The BJP would like the Central Government to come out categorically on its stand on the whole Durga issue," Rudy said.

Saying that Nagpal's suspension was extremely unfortunate, Rudy expressed that the order issued by the Samajwadi Party-led State government would completely demoralize the bureaucracy of the country.

"We have said that it is very unfortunate the way the issue about this young bright and upright honest IAS officer has been subjected to by the action taken against her. It has completely demoralized the entire bureaucracy of the country. But what is worse is the attempt by the Congress or for that matter the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh to politicize the issue," Rudy added.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation on August 12, challenging the suspension of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Durga Shakti Nagpal by the Uttar Pradesh Government for allegedly demolishing the wall of a mosque under construction in Gautam Buddh Nagar District.

It is however claimed that the real reason for the suspension of Durga Shakti Nagpal was for taking on the sand mafia in the state's Gautam Buddh Nagar District, where she was posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

According to reports, the 2009-batch IAS officer had seized nearly 300 trolleys of sand being illegally mined from the Yamuna river bed.

Though the Uttar Pradesh Government has called it an 'administrative decision', against her for demolishing a wall which was part of an intended mosque, but many believe that it was the result of pressure from the mining mafia.

Commenting on Nagpal's suspension, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on August 6 said rules laid down would be followed in the case.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has maintained his stand on the suspension of the IAS officer.

"If an official makes a mistake then the government punishes the official. This is the way government works," Yadav said.

A copy of the chargesheet along with a report has been sent to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) at the Centre. The Samajwadi Party Government's 10-page chargesheet accuses Nagpal of violating norms while ordering the demolition of the wall of a mosque built illegally on government land at Gautam Budh Nagar in Greater Noida.