By TCN Special Correspondent
Lucknow: The biggest state of India has no Muslim DM/Commissioner. Political analyst and Muslim intelligentsia may be boasting of seven Muslim IAS officers which is a record in Centre’s bureaucracy at important position but Uttar Pradesh does not have any Muslim officer as DM or commissioner.
This is when the present Samajwadi Party (SP) government received overwhelming support of Muslims and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and CM Akhilesh Yadav do not get tired claiming to give adequate representation to Muslims.
Let us have a look at the position of Muslim IAS officers in the state.
One of them Javed Usmani of 1978 batch has been given the most important post of Chief Secretary. This is the second time after independence that a Muslim IAS officer has been made Chief Secretary. The first being Mahmood Butt in 1975-76.
The next one is Majid Ali of 1980 batch. He is cooling his heels in a less important Department of Science and Technology. During BSP regime he had several important departments including transport. Akhilesh Yadav first gave him important portfolio but then within few days he was put into waiting list. Later he was posted as Principal Secretary in Science and Technology. Sources stated that Majid Ali got his fingers burnt in the multi-crore high-security number plate scam in the state.
After him is Kamran Rizvi of 1991 batch. He was quite powerful during Mayawati regime. During her regime he was posted as Secretary to CM but Akhilesh removed him after assuming power. Presently he is posted as Sugarcane Commissioner. Thus CM’s secretariat has just one Muslim IAS officer Zuhair Bin Sagheer who is posted as Special Secretary. Zuhair is of 2006 batch.
Another Muslim IAS officer is Mohd. Mustafa of 1995 batch. He is posted as Entertainment Tax Commissioner. Known as a bold officer Mustafa had a see saw with Samajwadi Party government. During the previous BSP government he was posted as DM Pratapgarh when SP supporter MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh Raja Bhaiyya was arrested. Mustafa boldy took on Raja Bhaiyya who had to retreat. Later when previous SP government came which was led by Mulayam Singh Yadav as CM came he was taken as DM of Rampur by Azam Khan. Raja Bhaiyya tried to remove him but could not succeed. This time he is out of favour from both Raja Bhaiyya and Azam Khan.
Two more Muslim IAS officers are posted on insignificant positions. Mohd Iftikharuddin of 1985 batch is presently passing his days in his posting at Textile Industry at Kanpur and 2009 batch Masoom Ali is CDO Moradabad.
UP which has 75 districts and 18 divisions has no Muslim IAS officer as DM or commissioner. Government claims that when there are no Muslim IAS officer available there is little which can be done.