Rajya Sabha demotes officer for sharing sarcastic social media posts on PM

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 13

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has ordered the demotion of a Deputy Director (Security) for five years without increment during the period. 

The official, Urujul Hasan, was under suspension on charges of sharing several “offensive, derogatory, demeaning and sarcastic posts on social media against the Prime Minister and some Union ministers and chief ministers”.

The said officer was also charged with sharing a “number of posts indicating his active involvement/assistance/indulgence in political activities, canvassing in connection with an election to the legislature, failure to maintain political neutrality, etc” and thereby violating service rules, a Rajya Sabha notification issued on Wednesday said.

The order said as per Rules, a penalty “reduction to the lower grade of security officer for a period of five years” was imposed with the directions the period of reduction shall operate to postpone future increments of his pay falling due in this period and on expiry of the period, he shall not regain his original seniority in the grade, the notification said.