Puducherry IAS officers condemn attack on Delhi CS

IAS officers attached to the Puducherry government have condemned the alleged assault on Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash and demanded that all those who "abetted, colluded and perpetrated such a despicable criminal attack" should be brought to book.
In a resolution adopted at joint meeting of the officers, including Puducherry Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, here yesterday, the officers also said safety and security of officers were "non negotiable pre-requisites" in day-to-day governance.
Anshu Prakash had alleged that two ruling Aam Aadmi Party MLAs "started hitting and assaulting" him "with blows on head and temple" during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence on February 19. The MLAs have since been arrested.

The Aam Aadmi Party has denied the allegations.
"It was shocking to note that such a grave incident had taken place at the residence of the Chief Minister of Delhi in front of the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister," the resolution, copies of which were circulated to media today, said.
The sequence of events "...reveals that it was a pre-meditated and calculated assault not only to create a fear psychosis but also to coerce, intimidate and destabilise the effective functioning of the Chief Secretary of Delhi government and the entire official machinery," it said.

Asserting that the IAS officers of Puducherry government "strongly stood" by the Delhi Chief Secretary, it said "all those who aided, abetted, colluded and perpetrated such a despicable criminal attack on the Chief Secretary should be brought to book and justice without any delay."

The officers also said that investigations and the trial should be expedited on a fast track basis andguilty punished.
The resolution said other officers in the Delhi government had also been subjected to "threats, vilification, humiliation and ignominy" at the hands of political executives and MLAs in the recent past.
A 'conducive' working environment should be ensured so that officers work in a free and fair environment to uphold the rule of law, it said requesting the Union Home Ministry to intervene in the matter and take suitable corrective measures.
The signatories to the resolution included the Puducherry Chief Secretary, District Collector Satyendra Singh Dursawat and Development Commissioner A Anbarasu.