D Raja asks UP Govt. to be more conscious, vigilant on sensitive matters

He welcomed the suspension of Home Secretary Sarvesh Chandra Mishra, who had signed the controversial letter calling for a meeting to discuss the rebuilding of the Ram Temple

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja on Monday said that the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) Government should be more conscious and vigilant in the handling sensitive matters taking into account the fact that Uttar Pradesh is witnessing communal polarisation.

Raja welcomed the suspension of Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary Sarvesh Chandra Mishra, who had signed the controversial letter calling for a meeting to discuss the rebuilding of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"It tells upon the governance of Uttar Pradesh. I do not understand how bureaucrats, the Home Secretary and others, could have the courage to write such a letter without the knowledge of the chief minister, the political leadership of the state. Of late, good sense has prevailed, the state government has suspended the concerned bureaucrats and distanced itself from that letter," said Raja.

"The government should be extra careful to handle such sensitive issues because already UP is witnessing communal polarisation. We witnessed the communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and a number of communal riots took place in UP. In such a context, the government should have been more conscious and vigilant in handling such sensitive matters. Of course, they are before the judiciary also. And how could Home Secretary and some bureaucrats issue and circulate such a letter," he added.

The Uttar Pradesh Government yesterday suspended the senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and initiated a departmental inquiry against him over his controversial letter.

The latest development in this regard came a day after Mishra, a 1997-batch IAS officer, was kept on waiting as per government service rules.