Madhya Pradesh: Lady IFS officer complains to her boss against minister for inflammatory statements
Bhargava while addressing a public meeting at Mohli village inside the sanctuary had said that forest staff cannot stop villagers from collecting minor forest produce.
A lady IFS officer in Madhya Pradesh has written to her immediate boss, accusing State Minister for Rural Development Gopal Bhargava of making inflammatory statements against forest department staff and has also held him responsible for increasing attacks on them.
In a letter written to Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Sagar, Vasu Kanojia, an IFS officer posted as Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in charge of the Nauradehi sanctuary has said that ever since Gopal Bhargava made remarks instigating village residents to enter the Nauradehi sanctuary to collect minor forest produce, the staff working with her has written to her expressing their inability to discharge their duties.
As per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, minor forest produce cannot be collected from sanctuaries and national parks.
MINISTER INSTIGATED VILLAGERS
Bhargava, a veteran BJP leader who represents Rehli constituency and has never lost an election since 1985 while addressing a public meeting at Mohli village inside the sanctuary had said that forest staff cannot stop villagers from collecting minor forest produce (MFP). He said that he is not advocating cutting of timber but if staff were to stop villagers from collecting tendu patta or achaar, a type of MFP, they should break the hands of the forest staff.
DFO, Vasu Kanojia in her letter to the CCF has also said that she received a letter from her subordinates who told her that large groups of people enter the sanctuary threatening them and that they were unable to discharge their duties after the minister's threats.
In the letter, the staff has cited an attack on a forest staffer by timber smugglers and a couple of other incidents in which those found breaking the law had minister's threats in their support.
Earlier, the DFO had written to President of the IFS Association LM Belwal informing him that the minister had referred to her as 'bai' in his speech while instigating the villagers.