West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is fighting with the Centre over senior bureaucrat Alapan Bandyopadhyay. She firmly opposed the orders issued to him to report in New Delhi by Monday. Subsequently, he requested retirement from the Indian Administrative Services(IAS).
The Centre ordered Alapan Bandyopadhyay to report to New Delhi on May 31. However, West Bengal chief minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee refused to release him and wrote a letter to the Prime Minister about the same.
As Alapan was directed to join the Department of Personnel and Training on Monday. This department governs officers including IAS officers. DoPT issued a show cause notice to Alapan Bandyopadhyay. It is important to know that the DoPT functions under the Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances. This ministry in turn works under the charge of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Flash back
Mamata Banerjee led TMC government sought an extension of three months for the then Chief Secretary of West Bengal, Alapan Banerjee. The reason quoted was the prevailing Covid-19 situation. The Centre agreed.
Furthermore, the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) granted the extension. The extension was given by the Home Minister Amit Shah too.
Four days later, PM Modi visited West Bengal to survey the damage caused due to the cyclone Yaas. According to sources, Mamata Banerjee met the Prime Minister to welcome him and asked for his permission to leave the meeting in between. She attended the meeting for a brief time and left. Alapan Banerjee accompanied her.
Suvendhu Adhikari, the BJP leader and the leader of the opposition to TMC met the Prime Minister separately. They presented a proposal with a demand of Rs.20,000 crores for the damages of Cyclone Yaas.
Immediately that evening, the Centre directed Alapan Bandyopadhyay to report to New Delhi. He was not relieved by the Chief Minister. Hence, he did not go to Delhi.
The Centre wrote a letter to Mamata Banerjee government to relieve Alapan Bandyopadhyay. Mamata Banerjee ignored the letter. The Centre rescinded his extension.
Thereafter, Alapan Bandyopadhyay requested retirement. Mamata Banerjee accepted his request and created the post of special advise to the West Bengal Chief Minister for three years.
Why is Alapan Bandyopadhyay favored?
Alapan Bandyopadhyay is seen as a ‘pliant officer’. He is known as a sharp bureaucrat with extreme flexibility. He is known to be very articulate with supreme command over Bengali and English.
He is a 1987- batch IAS officer of West Bengal Cadre. He sincerely serves his political master in implementing government policies.
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