The Election Commission has come under considerable condemnation after it sensationally suspended one of its officers for checking the helicopter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Odisha on Tuesday.
The 1996 batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, Mohammed Mohsin, was suspended because the Election Commission concluded that the officer had not acted in ‘conformity with the Election Commission’s instructions concerning Special Protection Group or SPG protectees.’
“Checking of the prime minister’s chopper, undertaken at Sambalpur, was not in accordance with the Election Commission guidelines as SPG protectees are exempt from such checking,” news agency PTI quoted a senior official from the national poll body.
Mohsin had decided to check Modi’s helicopter on Tuesday, when the latter visited Sambalpur to address an election rally.
The Congress had last week alleged that Modi was using his helicopter to transport mysterious trunks allegedly to transport black money, to be used in this year’s Lok Sabha polls. The party had even approached the Election Commission alleging that a mysterious trunk was transported in Modi’s helicopter when he visited Karnataka for an election rally last week.
Far from taking action, the Election Commission has punished an upright official for doing his duty. The late night development has left everyone seething.
Why is the Pradhan Sevak above everyone else @ECISVEEP? Shame on you! https://t.co/mw7d65BkDF
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) April 17, 2019
But why? MCC is for everyone. https://t.co/2HI1hAglbB
— ASHUTOSH MISHRA (@ashu3page) April 17, 2019
IAS Mohd. Mohsin got suspended for searching Modi’s helicopter.
He should consider himself lucky because IAS Pradeep Sharma who caught Modi snooping on a lady is behind bars for years and IPS Sanjiv Bhatt who took on Modi for 2002 massacre is behind bars too!
— Paresh (@hi_paresh) April 18, 2019
The Election Commission has already been facing its biggest ever credibility crisis for being seen to support Modi in this year’s elections. The latest action by an otherwise constitutional body will give credence to allegations that the Election Commission has now effectively turned into an extension of Modi’s personal office.