IAS officer row: Congress urges President Murmu not to accept resignation
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday urged President Droupadi Murmu not to accept the "technical resignation" of IAS officer Rinkoo Singh Rahee and demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government be directed to provide work to the officer who has sought return to his parent Provincial Civil Services, citing prolonged lack of work.
Congress SC Department chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam said that even today, when a Dalit youth works hard to become an IAS-PCS officer, he or she has to face harassment.
"The situation becomes such that the officers are forced to resign from their job. One such officer is Rinkoo Singh Rahee Ji. When Rinkoo Singh Ji was a PCS officer, he exposed a scam in which crores of rupees had been embezzled. At that time, a murderous attack was carried out on him, and he was shot," Gautam said at a press conference.
"Look at the spirit of national service: Rinkoo Ji recovered and returned, becoming an IAS officer, but he continued to be punished for his honesty and kept being transferred repeatedly. Now the situation is that for the past eight months, he hasn't been assigned any work at all; no important or key position has been given to him. In such a situation, Rinkoo Ji refused to accept his salary and submitted a technical resignation," he said.
Is there no need for such honest officers in the country, the Congress leader asked.
"Will any officer be punished for being a Dalit?" he said.
"I demand from the Honourable President of the country that the technical resignation of IAS Rinkoo Singh Rahee Ji should not be accepted. At the same time, the UP government should be directed to provide work to him," Gautam said.
Rahee, currently attached to the Board of Revenue in Lucknow, has written to the President requesting repatriation to PCS, stating that he has remained without any defined responsibilities for around eight months.
When asked about his step, Rahee told PTI that his move should not be construed as an attempt to exit public service, emphasising that it was a procedural step.
"I am not talking about quitting the system. It is a technical resignation only. I consider the constitutional system to be good; if there are some shortcomings, they can be amended," he said.
Rahee also dismissed suggestions of personal distress or harassment, stating, "I have no personal issues. I am not personally harassed, not in depression, I have already faced the worst."
In his letter to the President dated March 26, Rahee has sought permission to tender a technical resignation from the IAS, citing moral dilemma over continuing in service without substantive responsibilities while drawing salary and benefits.
He stated that his adherence to constitutional values and an accountability-driven work approach had led to a sense of "unsuitability" within the prevailing administrative system.
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UP: 10-year-old boy dies after falling into open pit in municipal land in Baghpat
Baghpat (UP) (PTI): A 10-year-old boy died after falling into an open water-filled pit dug for a sewer in a municipal land here, officials said on Thursday.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening in the Barka Road area of Baraut town. The deceased, identified as Irshad, son of Shamshad, was playing nearby when he accidentally fell into the deep pit.
Family members and locals rushed to the spot and tried to rescue him, but he could not be saved.
They alleged negligence, saying that the pit had been left uncovered during ongoing construction work without any safety measures.
According to them, the land belongs to the municipal body and construction of a marriage hall was underway, during which the water-filled pit had been dug and left open.
Executive Officer of the municipality, Manoj Rastogi, said the land is government-owned, and a marriage hall is being constructed there through the minority welfare department.
He added that an inquiry has been ordered and action will be taken against those responsible if negligence is found.
Circle Officer Baraut Anshu Jain said the construction work was being carried out by a private builder, and the pit had been dug for a sewer.
Police said no formal complaint has been received so far, and further legal action will be taken once a complaint is lodged.
