Odisha CM Mohan Majhi asks bureaucrats to show proper respect to people’s representatives 

Mr. Majhi recounted the humiliation he faced in government offices and how he was ill-treated by a police officer at a police station just before this year’s election

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Friday (September 2, 2024) asked IAS officers to show proper respect to elected representatives, sharing his personal experiences of humiliation in government offices despite holding constitutional positions as a long-serving legislator.

“As per Book Circular 47, elected representatives — whether a ward member, Zilla Parishad member, or MLA — must be accorded proper respect when they visit government offices with a prior appointment or unannounced,” Mr. Majhi said address collectors’ conference here.

Stating that people’s representatives, who are backbone of governance, are not even offered chair and government officials do not even rise from their chair to show respect on their arrival, the Odisha CM said the practice prevailing during previous government had been done away with and bureaucrats must move forward in sync with the priority of the present government.

Narrating his personal encounters in government offices, Mr. Majhi said, “I have been in politics as Sarpanch and MLA for past 27 years. Just months before this year’s election when there was a road blockade in support of facilitation of drinking water in Keonjhar, I had to intervene as local MLA and candidate contesting election.”

“When I had gone to a police station to diffuse the tension and find a solution, the inspector-in-charge of police got angry and asked me to get out. I had also faced this kind of humiliating situations before. I had no idea as to who had ordered him to use harsh words for a chief whip of Opposition party and MLA,” he said.

“When I won the election and became Chief Minister, holding the home portfolio as well, one can imagine the condition of the IIC. Despite everything, I chose to forgive him, thinking that his actions might have been driven by somebody’s pressure or lack of judgment. Holding a grudge against a subordinate is not right, so I let it go and forgave him,” Mr. Majhi said adding that it had happened when he was deputy chief whip in principal Opposition party in the Assembly.

Citing another example of arrogance of bureaucrats, the Odisha CM said, “In Keonjhar, during a meeting attended by both a Union Minister and a State Minister, the district collector arrived late and greeted only the Union Minister, unaware of the presence of the State Minister. When the Union Minister turned to the State Minister for input, the collector seemed surprised, responding, ‘You are the Minister?’ He neither apologised for his oversight nor accorded the State Minister proper respect, even after realising the mistake. This incident occurred in the presence of the local MLA and MP.”

“Such behavior is unacceptable. Public representatives deserve respect, and there should be no hesitation or ego when it comes to recognising their roles. The Minister in question is now none other than the first citizen of India, President Droupadi Murmu,” he pointed out.

Published - September 27, 2024 09:06 pm IST