Tamil Nadu IRS officer who earlier criticized FM Nirmala Sitharaman, suspended day before retirement
Chennai: Indian Revenue Services (IRS) Officer B. Balamurugan, who earlier criticized Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, was suspended on January 29, two days before he was set to formally retire. According to an official notice sent to Balamurugan, disciplinary proceedings have also been initiated against him. The notice does not mention any reason for Balamurugan suspension, reports thewire.in.
The bureaucrat was in the news for allegedly criticizing Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam, writing to the President Droupadi Murmu and demanding to sack her.
According to thewire.in, Balamurugan had reportedly written to the President Droupadi Murumu accusing the economic intelligence agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) of functioning as an extended arm of the BJP. The officer’s move came following the ED sending summons to Dalit farmers in Tamil Nadu who were engaged in a legal tussle with a local BJP leader.
The controversy arose when the ED issued summons to two Dalit farmers in Tamil Nadu, Kannaiyan and Krishnan, both in their 70s and residents of Attur in Salem district. The farmers were embroiled in a legal dispute with a local BJP leader, Gunashekar. The ED's involvement and its reference to the farmers as 'Hindu Pallars' sparked outrage. The farmers, surviving on a meager Rs 1,000 monthly pension, alleged that the ED targeted them due to their land dispute with Gunashekar, who they accused of attempting to unlawfully seize their property.
Balamurugan, serving as the Deputy Commissioner of Goods and Service Tax (GST) in Chennai, asserted that Nirmala Sitharaman had transformed the ED into a tool for enforcing BJP policies. He labeled the Finance Minister as "unfit to be the Finance Minister of India" and demanded her dismissal. The ED, on January 4, announced its intention to close the case against the farmers, but the closure has not been executed.
Meanwhile, it is worth noting that Balamurugan's wife, Dalit Pravina, is the legal representative for the two farmers. In his letter to the President, Balamurugan highlighted the incident as evidence of the Enforcement Directorate functioning as an extended arm of the BJP, particularly under Nirmala Sitharaman's leadership.
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Virat Kohli gets special mention during armed forces briefing on Operation Sindoor
Mumbai: In an unprecedented moment during a high-level military media briefing, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai invoked the name of cricket legend Virat Kohli, shortly after the former Indian skipper announced his retirement from Test cricket.
The joint media briefing, held by top military officials from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, detailed the successful execution of Operation Sindoor, a coordinated Indian military strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
While explaining the depth and coordination of India’s military grid system, Lt Gen Ghai made a cricketing analogy involving Kohli and iconic Australian bowlers Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee. “Back in the 70s, during the famous Ashes series between Australia and England, two of Australia’s legendary fast bowlers—Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee—wreaked havoc on the English batting line-up. Their dominance was so overwhelming that the Australians came up with a saying: ‘From ashes to ashes and from dust to dust, if Thommo don't get you, then Lillee surely must,’” he said.
Drawing a parallel to India's multilayered military grid, he added, “If you look closely at the layers, you’ll understand what I mean—even if you manage to get through all of them, one layer of this grid system is bound to catch you.”
Calling Virat Kohli his “favourite cricketer,” Lt Gen Ghai said he was watching the cricketer’s emotional farewell to Test cricket just before the briefing. “Like many Indians, he is my favourite cricketer,” he noted.
VIDEO | Special Defence Briefing on India-Pakistan military action: Referring to Indian cricketer Virat Kohli's retirement from Tests earlier in the day, DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai drew a parallel between cricket and military operations. Here's what he said:
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"I was… pic.twitter.com/CImgSELAMD
Earlier in the day, Virat Kohli officially announced his retirement from the longest format of the game via a heartfelt message on Instagram. “It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life,” Kohli wrote.
He added, “There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever.”
Kohli’s decision comes days after Rohit Sharma’s own exit from Test cricket, sparking widespread speculation over the future of India’s senior players. His retirement marks the end of an era for Indian Test cricket, which he helped redefine with his aggressive approach and match-winning performances both at home and overseas.
