Senior IPS Officer Shoots Letter to Yogi Adityanath, Expresses Desire To Campaign For BJP Post-Retirement

Surya Kumar Shukla, Director General, Home Guard, has stirred a controversy once again. The senior IPS officer, just days before his retirement, has written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath expressing his desire to work for the UP government. In the letter, he has listed post-retirement jobs the state government can offer him.

The senior IPS officer has mentioned the posts he seeks. Among them are the post of vice president of the State Planning Commission, Chairman - Khadi Gramodyog Board, State Samaj Kalyan Board and State Pollution Control Board. He has sought appointment to one of these posts after 31 August, the day he retires from service.

Shukla wrote that he was ''greatly impressed'' by CM Adityanath's work and wanted to be a part of the work owing to his own "impeccable" record, the Deccan Herald reported.

The Financial Express has reported that Shukla has also expressed his desire to actively contribute to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s general election campaign next year. The report has shared contents from the letter. In one, Shukla says, “I have come to know that these posts under your government are presently vacant. If I am appointed on any of these posts, I will be in a situation to actively contribute towards you as this will facilitate travelling and and staying in guest houses”.

According to a NDTV report, Shukla told the news channel that "I cannot confirm or deny specific letters. But yes, every officer wants to serve the state after retirement and I have an unblemished career record. So what is wrong in proposing this to the government in power?"

He was in controversy recently for "pledging" to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The NDTV report adds that a "video of the 1982-batch Indian Police Service officer taking the pledge during an event on Ram Mandir issue organised in February at Lucknow University had gone viral on social and electronic media."

Shukla told NDTV, “I have only a couple of days left in service. If someone talks about contributing in politics and society after that what is wrong in it.”

Shula's letter has not gone down with the opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh. Deccan Herald reported that Samajwadi Party "has demanded action against the IPS officer saying that he has violated the service rules." The latter was written last month but is hitting headlines now, in August, after it was "leaked".