Senior IAS officer Dr B. Ashok, who was suspended by the Kerala government a day earlier, launched a strong public criticism of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday. Speaking to the media, he alleged that his suspension was politically motivated and linked to growing tensions between the government and the IAS Association, which he currently heads as its president. He also claimed that the action reflected a wider pattern of political interference in administrative functioning.

Ashok, who has completed nearly 28 years in the civil service, said his suspension was connected to the IAS Association’s legal victories against the state government since 2023. He stated that the association had won five cases in that period, which he suggested had caused discomfort within the administration. According to him, the Chief Minister’s reaction was “understandable” in the context of these developments, implying that his removal was not purely administrative but retaliatory in nature.

Drawing a distinction between the two terms of the current Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, Ashok said the first term (2016–2021) maintained respect for civil servants and allowed bureaucratic independence to function more smoothly. However, he alleged that the second term had witnessed a shift, with increased influence from retired officials placed in key advisory roles. He specifically pointed to the appointment of former Chief Secretary K.M. Abraham to a newly created post in the Chief Minister’s Office, calling it an “unprecedented” administrative arrangement.

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The suspended officer also alleged that the government had, in recent months, attempted to use public funds for large-scale publicity campaigns aimed at strengthening its political position. He claimed that around a dozen retired officials had been mobilised to support efforts for a potential third term in power. Ashok further alleged that a Mumbai-based public relations agency had been awarded a contract worth ₹130 crore for promotional activities, calling it a serious misuse of public resources.

Despite the suspension, Ashok said he would not immediately challenge the order in court, describing it instead as a “badge of honour.” He added that he would allow the suspension order to remain as it is for now, expressing confidence that a future government would review the matter. He also remarked that recent political developments and electoral outcomes indicated a shift in public sentiment against the ruling front.

Warning against what he described as an erosion of institutional independence, Ashok said the developments set a “dangerous precedent” for the civil services. He argued that excessive political control over bureaucracy could undermine governance and weaken administrative neutrality. His remarks have added a new dimension to the ongoing tensions between sections of the bureaucracy and the state government in Kerala.

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