When a CM's wrath knows no bounds
Episode 23
Part - 1
All of a sudden the Chief Minister flies into a rage at a meeting of Ministers and senior officials.
"What does this IAS officer think of himself? We post him as TTD Executive Officer thinking he will do wonders. Instead , he plays politics. If he is so enamored and has the guts, let him quit the IAS and plunge into politics. How dare he carries on a political campaign against us? I will see how he can get away'.
So fumes the Chief Minister, swaying with emotion, against a joint secretary level IAS official.
The Chief Minister is supreme in a Government elected by the people. When anger seizes a Chief Minister, who will have the urge, inclination and courage to stand up to him and rescue a junior official?
In the 1979 incident narrated above, Dr.Marri Channa Reddy, known for his short temper and sharp tongue happened to be the chief Minister ,and me , the unfortunate junior IAS official.
Part - 1
All of a sudden the Chief Minister flies into a rage at a meeting of Ministers and senior officials.
"What does this IAS officer think of himself? We post him as TTD Executive Officer thinking he will do wonders. Instead , he plays politics. If he is so enamored and has the guts, let him quit the IAS and plunge into politics. How dare he carries on a political campaign against us? I will see how he can get away'.
So fumes the Chief Minister, swaying with emotion, against a joint secretary level IAS official.
The Chief Minister is supreme in a Government elected by the people. When anger seizes a Chief Minister, who will have the urge, inclination and courage to stand up to him and rescue a junior official?
In the 1979 incident narrated above, Dr.Marri Channa Reddy, known for his short temper and sharp tongue happened to be the chief Minister ,and me , the unfortunate junior IAS official.
From the day I was picked up for the post of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer, I faced problems. Our daughter Madhavi developed inflammation of the knee and pain when I wanted to avoid the assignment. Wondering whether I was spurning Lord Srinivasa's call to go over to Him, I finally agreed to take the assignment.
When I took charge from the Additional Commissioner of Endowments , Mr.Anandrao Mudaliar, who was holding the charge, at an auspicious moment and was ready to leave for Tirupati, I had a brush with the Chief Minister.
About a year later , I had to face Chief Minister Channa Reddy's wrath again...
I was crestfallen when I learnt from the Chief Secretary, Mr.S.R.Ramamurthy, that the chief minister had poured out his anger against me in the presence of the ministers and secretaries. I had no inkling as to what crime I had committed .
Infact , not even Mr.Ramamurthy had any clue to the CMs indignation. At my request he ascertained the reason from the CM himself.
It was "TTD's release of advertisements to newspaper which are critical of his Government and policies".
When I took charge from the Additional Commissioner of Endowments , Mr.Anandrao Mudaliar, who was holding the charge, at an auspicious moment and was ready to leave for Tirupati, I had a brush with the Chief Minister.
About a year later , I had to face Chief Minister Channa Reddy's wrath again...
I was crestfallen when I learnt from the Chief Secretary, Mr.S.R.Ramamurthy, that the chief minister had poured out his anger against me in the presence of the ministers and secretaries. I had no inkling as to what crime I had committed .
Infact , not even Mr.Ramamurthy had any clue to the CMs indignation. At my request he ascertained the reason from the CM himself.
It was "TTD's release of advertisements to newspaper which are critical of his Government and policies".
The TTD had released advertisements to a magazine launched by Mr.Ratnasabhapati and Eenadu , both critical of CM. On the very day the advertisements appeared, the media also carried reports criticizing Dr.Channa Reddy's policy decisions. The CM apparently suspected that I was helping his critics by releasing advertisements.
In fact, I formulated a clear cut ad policy right at the beginning of my TTD tenure. Circulation was to be the sole criterion for the release of advertisements to dailies. Thirty-eight TTD departments regularly undertake spiritual and welfare activities , warranting frequent release of advertisements.
But so far as magazines were concerned , I instructed the TTD to release ads for all inaugural issues as most of the publishers believed that a TTD advertisement in the very first issue was a blessing from the Lord.
The TTD Public Relations Officer discharges these tasks. Once a policy decision is taken, concerned officials implement it and the Executive Officer would not interfere. On enquiry I found the ads. It was sheer coincidence that news reports critical of the CM appeared on the day the ads were published.
As it happens all over, here too some of the CM's sycophants showed him the newspapers/magazines and apparently dinned into his ears "See , how atrocious this is : an Executive Officer, who works under you, gives ads to newspapers which write against you".
Tale-carriers, who try to demonstrate their loyalty, or cover up their inefficiency or just vent their jealousy are to be found in any system. They betray their mindset depending upon the occasion . Obviously , I might have been the target of some of them.
My conscience was clear and my hands were clean. I had no role in the release of the ads. Even the ads released by the PRO were in tune with the policy. Yet, the CM suspected or was made to suspect me. To be fair, the CM had not said anything to me directly...
That the CM suspected me was only a piece of information from the Chief Secretary.
Okay , but what should I do now?
That the CM suspected me was only a piece of information from the Chief Secretary.
Okay , but what should I do now?
OM NAMO SRINIVASAYA
OM NAMO NARAYANAYA
OM NAMO VENKATESAYA
OM NAMO NARAYANAYA
OM NAMO VENKATESAYA