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The Kerala government has taken a decisive step in suspending two senior IAS officers, K Gopalakrishnan and N Prasanth, for their involvement in controversies related to the formation of a WhatsApp group and social media posts, respectively. The suspension of Gopalakrishnan, the Industries and Commerce Director, stemmed from his involvement in a WhatsApp group named "Mallu Hindu Officers." This group, created on October 30, included senior IAS officers who identified as Hindu. While it was deleted within hours due to concerns over its impropriety, the controversy unfolded when Gopalakrishnan filed a police complaint, alleging his phone was hacked and that the group's creation was part of a larger scheme involving the formation of other groups, including one called "Mallu Muslim Officers."
However, the government's investigation, based on police findings, revealed no evidence to support Gopalakrishnan's claim of phone hacking. Instead, evidence indicated that he had repeatedly factory reset his phone before submitting it for forensic examination. The government concluded that the WhatsApp group was intended to foster division, sow disunity, and disrupt the solidarity among the All India Services cadre in Kerala. This action was deemed to be creating communal formations and alignments within the cadre, leading to Gopalakrishnan's suspension. Additionally, the government suspended N Prasanth, the Special Secretary of the Agriculture Department, for his social media activity. Prasanth's suspension followed a series of posts on social media where he criticized another IAS officer, Additional Chief Secretary A Jayathilak. This incident sparked controversy and raised concerns about the appropriateness of such public criticism.
The suspensions highlight the Kerala government's commitment to maintaining unity and professionalism within the civil service. While Gopalakrishnan maintains his claim of phone hacking, the government's investigation pointed towards his involvement in creating a WhatsApp group that could potentially disrupt the harmony among IAS officers. Prasanth's suspension reinforces the expectation of responsible and respectful conduct among civil servants, particularly when engaging in public discourse on social media. The government's actions send a clear message that such divisive actions and public criticism will not be tolerated within the IAS cadre, emphasizing the importance of upholding ethical conduct and maintaining unity within the civil service.
Source: Kerala IAS officer suspended over involvement in ‘Hindu-Muslim’ WhatsApp group row