When a CM's wrath knows no bounds
Episode - 25
Part 3
Happy Janmastami to all
When CM cooled down a bit after a few minutes, I started speaking . I tried to tell the Chief Minister that the release of ads was done at the PRO level; it was in accordance with the laid down policy and that anybody's preferences and prejudices had no role in the entire issue.
He listened rather reluctantly; but would not change his views. He told me point blank that I was privy to the whole matter.
"You had served as Secretary to Chief Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao . You were Collector of Khammam during Vengal Rao's regime . Are you not aware of the adverse political repercussions of your actions? Do you want us to trust you if feign innocence? Enough is enough ", he said pointing an accusing finger at me.
The Chief Secretary, the Secretary and the Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister tried unsuccessfully to butt in.
When the virtual monologue came to an end, silence reigned supreme in the room. Benumbed by the turn of events, all of us quietly exited the room.
Part 3
Happy Janmastami to all
When CM cooled down a bit after a few minutes, I started speaking . I tried to tell the Chief Minister that the release of ads was done at the PRO level; it was in accordance with the laid down policy and that anybody's preferences and prejudices had no role in the entire issue.
He listened rather reluctantly; but would not change his views. He told me point blank that I was privy to the whole matter.
"You had served as Secretary to Chief Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao . You were Collector of Khammam during Vengal Rao's regime . Are you not aware of the adverse political repercussions of your actions? Do you want us to trust you if feign innocence? Enough is enough ", he said pointing an accusing finger at me.
The Chief Secretary, the Secretary and the Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister tried unsuccessfully to butt in.
When the virtual monologue came to an end, silence reigned supreme in the room. Benumbed by the turn of events, all of us quietly exited the room.
Indira Gandhi was due to arrive at Tirupati in about a week. CM was to accompany her . In case, the CM's flames of anger were to leap up again and that too in front of all at Tirupati? I could not entertain the very thought.
After having lost the CM's confidence, serving at Tirupati, by mortgaging self-respect was against the very grain of my character. So the minute I came out of the CM's residence I scribbled a letter to the CS requesting him that I be transferred out of Tirupati.
"If you need time to locate a substitute, permit me to hand over charge to the senior most official and proceed on leave".
After having lost the CM's confidence, serving at Tirupati, by mortgaging self-respect was against the very grain of my character. So the minute I came out of the CM's residence I scribbled a letter to the CS requesting him that I be transferred out of Tirupati.
"If you need time to locate a substitute, permit me to hand over charge to the senior most official and proceed on leave".
I was scheduled to visit Puttaparthi on my way back to Tirupati to take part in the release of M.S.Subbulakshmi's "Balaji Pancharatnamala", - an LP record and audio cassettes, brought out by TTD,- by Sri Satya Sai Baba .
I went there rather reluctantly .
After the release of the cassette, Sai Baba invited us into his room.
Mrs.Subbulakshmi, her spouse Sadasivam , my wife Gopika and I went in.
A personification of simplicity and tenderness, Sai Baba spoke to us very affectionately.
Praising TTD services in general , Baba all of sudden seemed to address my shattered mind,
"Look, Bangaru(his affectionate way of addressing a person). Your being posted as TTD Executive Officer is God's will. Your appointment is not in the hands of either the CM or CS. Had not God willed it, no one could have appointed you. And without His will, no one can remove you. You have been doing good works. Carry on the good work in the name of God".
The way he read my mind like an open book surprised me.
I went there rather reluctantly .
After the release of the cassette, Sai Baba invited us into his room.
Mrs.Subbulakshmi, her spouse Sadasivam , my wife Gopika and I went in.
A personification of simplicity and tenderness, Sai Baba spoke to us very affectionately.
Praising TTD services in general , Baba all of sudden seemed to address my shattered mind,
"Look, Bangaru(his affectionate way of addressing a person). Your being posted as TTD Executive Officer is God's will. Your appointment is not in the hands of either the CM or CS. Had not God willed it, no one could have appointed you. And without His will, no one can remove you. You have been doing good works. Carry on the good work in the name of God".
The way he read my mind like an open book surprised me.
Baba's remarks set off a fresh round of churning in my mind. I asked myself as to why was I so much upset when I had not committed any sin or crime? True, my actions had sowed suspicion and triggered anger in the CM's mind. So what ?
If Lord Srinivasa had beckoned me to the TTD, as Baba put it, it was for the Lord to decide whether I should continue there or not. What was the point in agonizing over an issue over which I had no control? Should I not leave the matter to the Lord?
Yet, unable to repress myself, I called the CS after landing in Tirupati to ask,
"What has happened to my relief request ?".
The CS noncommittally replied,
"I have shown your letter to CM. He is yet to okay it."
I wondered why the CM had not decided on the matter . In the course of the tele-talk, the CS revealed CM's remark
"Does Prasad think he is indispensable and that no substitute can be found?".
The information merely whetted my anxiety , instead of assuaging it.
Mrs. Indira Gandhi was arriving at Tirupati in the next couple of days amid rumors of her relations with CM having soured. After deeply thinking over the recent developments and the immense immediate tasks on hand, I had 'darshan' of Lord Srinivasa and poured out my agony and left it at that.
If Lord Srinivasa had beckoned me to the TTD, as Baba put it, it was for the Lord to decide whether I should continue there or not. What was the point in agonizing over an issue over which I had no control? Should I not leave the matter to the Lord?
Yet, unable to repress myself, I called the CS after landing in Tirupati to ask,
"What has happened to my relief request ?".
The CS noncommittally replied,
"I have shown your letter to CM. He is yet to okay it."
I wondered why the CM had not decided on the matter . In the course of the tele-talk, the CS revealed CM's remark
"Does Prasad think he is indispensable and that no substitute can be found?".
The information merely whetted my anxiety , instead of assuaging it.
Mrs. Indira Gandhi was arriving at Tirupati in the next couple of days amid rumors of her relations with CM having soured. After deeply thinking over the recent developments and the immense immediate tasks on hand, I had 'darshan' of Lord Srinivasa and poured out my agony and left it at that.
Mrs. Gandhi did arrive as scheduled .
CM was also there. He was normal. The tour was a great success. Shortly before Mrs.Gandhi left, our officer Ravula Suryanarayana Murthy had handed me a photo album of Mrs.Gandhi's Tirumala visit. I took it to the CM and requested him to present it to Mrs.Gandhi.
Surprisingly, he would not. He took me to Mrs.Gandhi and made me present the album to her.
Introducing me, Dr.Channa Reddy told her: "Here is a highly competent IAS officer. I handpicked him for the assignment here. He is efficiently and vigorously carrying out a number of developmental schemes".
He hailed a photographer to take a snap of mine along with him and Mrs.Gandhi. I thought , it was unusual . The VIPs departed.
The next day, CS wanted to know how Mrs.Gandhi's visit went. "Anyway , what transpired there?" asked the CS rather curiously stating that it was CM who was enquiring about my reaction.
In the next day's mail, I received a special parcel from the CM's office.
I was overtaken by pleasant surprise when I opened it.
It contained the photograph of mine taken with Mrs.Gandhi and CM.
The CM autographed the photograph and wrote ,"with best wishes... Keep up the good work ". May be that was the way he wanted me to understand that he had nothing personal against me.
Much later; addressing meetings during the Godavari and the Krishna ' Pushkarams' , the CM praised me to the skies.
I still wonder why things happened that way !!