Bhopal, Nov 25 Responding to the widespread criticism over senior IAS officer Santosh Verma’s controversial statement on Brahmin girls, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla on Thursday said that such remarks targeting any particular community will not be tolerated.
Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, a senior Brahmin leader from Rewa district in Vindhya region, condemned Verma’s controversial statement, terming it extremely “objectionable” and “insensitive” and as disrupting social harmony.
“Such a remark made against women belongs to any community is a reflection of a perverted mindset. Such remarks from an officer holding a high rank not only hurt social harmony but also raised questions about administrative dignity,” Shukla wrote on X.
Shukla further said that the government's stand on such serious issues is very clear, and the officer has sought a reply to his statement.
“Necessary action will also be taken if the response of the officer is not satisfactory,” he said.
Notably, the Madhya Pradesh government late on Wednesday issued a strongly worded show-cause notice to senior IAS Verma for his controversial public statements questioning the continuation of caste-based reservations.
Verma, a promoted IAS, who is currently posted as Deputy Secretary in the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, has been asked to submit a written explanation within seven days, warning that failure to reply will invite unilateral departmental action without further intimation.
The storm erupted on November 22, when Verma, speaking at a literary event in Bhopal, reportedly described reservations as having "served their original purpose" and now being "exploited as a permanent political tool".
Video footage of the speech spread rapidly on social media, provoking immediate backlash from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and OBC organisations, as well as an unexpected wave of protests from Brahmin groups who accused the officer of "insulting constitutional guarantees".
Placards reading "Bureaucrats cannot rewrite the Constitution" and "Protect Babasaheb's legacy" dominated the protests.
--IANS
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