SP hits new low; minister threatens to 'expose' IAS official Durga Nagpal's family

Ever since the controversy over the suspension of IAS official Durga Shakti Nagpal erupted, the Samajwadi Party has been taking pot shots at the officer, but even they perhaps hit a new low with a minister threatening to expose the truth about the officer’s family. While attending an event with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Minister for Health Ahmed Hasan hit out at the IAS official’s family. “Which family does Nagpal belong to? You will come to know when we will expose it… then you will regret. Whom are you encouraging? She has destroyed the credibility of IAS cadre," Hasan was quoted as saying in an India Today report. [caption id=“attachment_1017381” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Will the IAS official continue to face persecution? Image courtesy: Ibnlive[/caption] “She should apologize. She did not do her duty… she destroyed the credibility of the cadre,” Hasan was reported as saying in an NDTV report. The minister also claimed that the IAS officer was a ’liar’ for claiming that the villagers of Kadalpur had demolished the wall of their own accord. Hasan, who joins the ranks of top Samajwadi Party leadership that has strongly criticised the IAS official’s actions and while refusing to reinstate her, said that her actions had almost incited communal violence in the village. However, few of them have have gone so far as to hit out at her family or precedents and despite the Chief Minister being present at the event, he made no attempt to curb the verbal attack on the officer. The India Today report also quoted officials as saying that the UP government was attempting to uncover every possible details about her husband, who is also an IAS officer, and is also attempting to find links between the IAS official’s parents and right wing organisations. Given the issue has become a matter of prestige and linked to a vote-bank ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party is unlikely to tone down its rhetoric against the IAS official any time soon. But raking mud on her reputation in the hope of hiding their own wrongs may not be the best solution.