Ujjain SDM who called Kailash Vijayvargiya’s ‘ghanta’ comment ‘authoritarian behaviour’ suspended

Ujjain’s Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) has been suspended after he issued an order referencing State Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya’s controversial “ghanta” comments, in the wake of the deaths due to water contamination in Indore, as a “symbol of authoritarian behaviour”.

SDM Anand Malviya had issued an order for directions on law and order in the district over the Congress protests in the Indore contamination case.

The order, however, went on to make curious assertions.

It alleged that the deaths occurred after people consumed “contaminated and dirty water supplied by the BJP-run municipal corporation” in Indore. “In Indore, due to consumption of contaminated and dirty water supplied by the BJP-run municipal corporation, 14 people have died and 2,800 persons are undergoing treatment,” it read.

Referring to Vijayvargiya’s remarks on the issue, it described the comment as “inhuman and a symbol of authoritarian behaviour.” It added that the use of the word “ghanta” on such a sensitive matter was “highly objectionable”.

“On this sensitive issue, the objectionable remark made by a state government minister, the use of the word ‘ghanta’ is a sign of inhuman and authoritarian behaviour. The [Congress] State President… Jitu Patwari ji, has taken a decision that in protest against this incident, BJP MPs and MLAs will be gheraoed,” the notice issued by the SDM read.

Following this, the Divisional Commissioner of the Ujjain Division suspended Malviya for serious negligence and irregularity in the discharge of official duties while dealing with a highly sensitive matter.

According to the suspension order issued by the office of the Commissioner, Ujjain Division, on January 5, based on information received on January 3 regarding a proposed protest, an official order was issued without proper verification.

When contacted, Malviya told The Indian Express that some portions of the order appeared to have been lifted from a Congress WhatsApp order.

“The order contains portions lifted from a WhatsApp group of the Congress party calling for a protest; the reader had lifted the portions. The health data mentioned was also from official sources, but after the errors were noticed, I rescinded the order and issued a fresh one. But someone made the old order viral,” he said.

The suspension followed a proposal received from the Collector’s office in Dewas on January 4, flagging the issuance of the earlier order as procedurally flawed and factually incorrect. “The said order was issued without examination and on an extremely sensitive and serious issue, using incorrect figures. This reflects grave negligence, indifference, and irregularity in the discharge of official duties,” the order noted.

The Commissioner further held that the act falls under the category of misconduct as defined under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965. Citing Rule 9 of the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1966, the order states that Anand Malviya has been placed under suspension with immediate effect.

During the suspension period, the officer’s headquarters has been fixed at the Commissioner’s office in Ujjain Division, and he will be entitled to subsistence allowance as per rules.