Shimla, India: Tensions between the Himachal Pradesh government and the bureaucracy escalated today as PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh intensified his criticism of non-local IAS and IPS officers. Following a controversial Facebook post, Singh addressed the media, alleging that a section of senior officers—primarily from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar—are functioning in a manner detrimental to the state’s governance.
The Minister’s outburst follows a month-long standoff initiated by Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri, who had warned bureaucrats against “plotting against the government.” Singh echoed these sentiments, suggesting that some officers lack an emotional connection to the state and treat their postings as a platform for exercising unchecked power. “There are instances where the concerns of Himachalis are being ignored,” Singh stated, adding that he is prepared to raise the matter at the highest levels and even make the names of such officers public.
While acknowledging the federal structure of the IAS and IPS, Vikramaditya Singh emphasized that officers cannot treat elected MLAs and MPs as mere “guarantors.” He urged bureaucrats to take a leaf out of the book of local Himachali officers who are more attuned to the state’s unique social fabric. This regional assertion has drawn mixed reactions; while local groups have hailed the move as a stand for “Himachaliyat,” administrative circles have expressed concern over the potential for a regional divide within the services. As of now, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has not issued a formal response to his cabinet minister’s public venting of frustration.
