New Delhi: The District Magistrate of Sangrur, Rahul Chaba, an IAS officer of the 2017 batch, is in trouble with the PMO and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) over a post on his official X account criticising prime minister Narendra Modi’s alleged apathy towards Punjab at a time when the state is reeling under the impact of devastating floods.
He has been issued a show cause notice despite an apology and an ‘explanation’ that it was actually a statement by an AAP minister, which was posted by a junior official from Chaba’s official account.
A post dated 10 September from the official account of DC Sangrur, said “Punjab has always stood at the forefront in every difficult moment for the country. Today, when Punjab needed economic support, Prime Minister Modi left after making a cruel joke with Punjab. Despite losses worth thousands of crores, only Rs 1,600 crore were given in the name of aid. This is an insult to Punjab and the farmers. Is Punjab only to be used?”
Posted around 9 pm, it was deleted within two hours, but a screenshot continued to be circulated, thereby inviting backlash from authorities.
On 15 September, IAS officer Chaba was issued a show-cause notice by the state government, citing Section 7 of the All India Service Conduct Rules, 1968, which states that no member of the civil service shall make any adverse statement against the central or state government publicly, even if it is published anonymously. This, sources said, came after the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) wrote to the Punjab Government asking it to serve a show-cause notice to Chaba.
Sources in the Punjab Government said, IAS officer Chaba replied to the show-cause notice served by the state government the same day. According to an officer who wished anonymity, Chaba is learnt to have told the state government that he was on the field at the Ghaggar river, which was above the danger mark, at the time the tweet was posted from the official account of DC Sangrur, which like the handles of all other DCs, is handled by the District Public Relations Office (DPRO).
When IAS officer Chaba saw the post at around 11 pm the same night, he immediately contacted the DPRO, and got the post deleted, his reply says. The next day, he not only reprimanded the DPRO, but also had the person who put up the post suspended.
Since a screenshot of the post was still being circulated, on 12 September, Chaba issued an apology from his official handle. “Public notice: A political post was inadvertently issued from the official handle of DC Sangrur,” a post on X said. “The post was unauthorised and immediately deleted. This office reaffirms full neutrality and impartial service. Action is being taken against concerned official. This lapse is regretted.”
When ThePrint contacted Chaba on the phone, he declined to speak.
According to sources, the statement posted from Chaba’s account was originally made by Punjab Minister and AAP MLA, Barinder Kumar Goyal, whose constituency, Lehra, falls in Sangrur. The person, who posted the statement from DC Sangrur’s account, had just been hired on 1 September, and did not know that DC accounts are only meant for official and administrative communication. He, therefore, shared Goyal’s statement verbatim, landing Chaba in trouble.
The statement continues to be visible on Goyal’s timeline on X.
Chaba is also learnt to have sought meetings with Punjab chief secretary and secretary, public relations, and explained the situation to them on 12 September.
However, the show-cause notice was issued to him by the state government three days later.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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