IAS Durga Shakti Nagpal, a 2010 batch IAS officer, has been in the public eye over the past few months for her crackdown on the sand mafia dredging sand from the Yamuna and Hindon rivers in the GB Nagar district.The honest lady officer has been in news for her such crackdown on illegal sand mining, and thus she was allegedly suspended over a dispute related to a religious place.The Principal secretary Sri Rajiv Kumar has sanctioned Nagpal's suspension and suspension orders were issued late on Saturday night without any information to the media. The said religious structure was coming up on government land without permission for construction, and Nagpal reportedly ordered the removal of illegal construction. She was accused of not consulting her immediate senior, the district magistrate, before issuing the orders.While Nagpal had ordered the seizure of 24 dumpers engaged in illegal quarrying in a matter of two days, apart from deploying special flying squads and undercover cops to curb the illegal mining along the two western UP rivers, and arrested many alleged offenders.
Opposition parties slammed the SP government for Nagpal's suspension and the B.S.P. leader Satish Mishra said that instead of initiating action against the criminal elements, the SP government was punishing officials who dared the mafia.
B.J.P. spokesman Manoj Mishra said, "Nagpal's suspension is indicative of the sand mafia's victory. If the government claims to be so active, it should, instead, focus on bettering the law and order conditions in UP." Another BJP leader Kalraj Mishra said,"It proves that the government was not liking those officers who are leading drives against the mafia... What mistake has she made?"
R.L.D. state president Munna Singh Chauhan said that the state government was clamping down on honest officers and, as a result, setting a bad precedent and alleged that the government gave into pressure from the mining mafia and ordered Nagpal's suspension.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh said,"To prevent communal tension and avoid dispute in village, sometimes we have to take such decisions, when we don't take any decision, you complain of our indecision and if we take, you say it is a harsh decision,". While the government has dubbed it as an "administrative decision", many believe that the move was a result of pressure from the mining mafia.The suspension order has again put under question on the Akhilesh government, already being criticised for failing to deliver on his electoral promise of wiping out lawlessness and introducing transparency in the government's functioning and this episode has proved that.
IAS Officers Association outraged and objected that the suspension was done on behest of some political leaders and proposed to meet the Principal Secretary.