2 bureaucrats engaged in public tussle shifted

Bengaluru, February 21

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Faced with embarrassment following a bitter public tussle between two senior women bureaucrats, the Karnataka Government on Tuesday cracked the whip and transferred both of them, without specifying their new postings.

IPS officer and Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Managing Director Roopa D and IAS officer and Commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Rohini Sindhuri Dasari had levelled allegations against each other.

In a move that raised eyebrows, Roopa’s husband Munish Moudgil, who was Commissioner, Survey Settlement and Land Records, has also been transferred to the post of Principal Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, with immediate effect.

The public spat between the two senior women bureaucrats had got murkier on Monday, causing huge embarrassment to the government, with multiple ministers having expressed displeasure over their conduct and had warned action, citing service rule violation.

The public feud between Roopa and Dasari on Monday reached the office of the Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma with both of them submitting a petition seeking action against each other and explaining their stance.

Roopa had taken to the social media posting some photographs of Rohini questioning the intent behind sending such “objectionable pictures to three IAS officers”, which according to her was a crime as per the IAS service conduct rules.

Sharing the photographs of Dasari on her Facebook page, Roopa wrote, “These types of pictures may seem normal but, what does it mean when a female IAS officer sends many such pictures one-to-one to not one, not two, but three male IAS officers? It cannot be her private matter. It is a crime according to IAS Service Conduct Rules. Any investigative agency can also investigate the authenticity of these pictures. Salon haircut images, the image taken while lying down on a pillow. It may seem normal to some. The context behind sending them speaks otherwise.” Hitting back, Rohini said she will take legal recourse as these accusations by Roopa are defamatory in nature. — PTI

Ministers express displeasure

• The spat between the two senior women bureaucrats turned murkier on Monday, causing embarrassment to the government
• Many ministers expressed displeasure over their conduct and warned of action, citing service rule violation