Telangana bureaucrats object to TV reports on woman IAS officer, seek public apology

According to the Telangana IAS Officers' Institute, the allegations are completely malicious and constitute a gross violation of the privacy, dignity, and professional reputation of serving officers.

Hyderabad: The IAS and IPS officers' associations have strongly condemned a report aired by a Telugu news channel and demanded an immediate apology. The IAS officers' body described the report as cheap and motivated insinuations about postings, alleging that women IAS officers received "comfort postings" within a short span.

According to the Telangana IAS Officers' Institute, such reporting grossly misrepresents established administrative procedures, undermines the credibility of the civil services, and casts baseless aspersions, said Telangana IAS Officers' Institute. The allegations are completely malicious and constitute a gross violation of the privacy, dignity, and professional reputation of serving officers. The broadcast also promotes a deeply regressive and misogynistic narrative targeting women officers.

“The IAS Officers' Association places on record its strongest condemnation of the recent broadcast aired by NTV, wherein false, malicious, and unsubstantiated allegations were made against serving women IAS officers. The broadcast irresponsibly attempted to malign these officers through baseless insinuations and by casting aspersions on the legitimacy of their official postings. The said broadcast referred to so-called "family discomfort," alleged phone calls, and WhatsApp chats as purported evidence. These claims are entirely fabricated, defamatory, and devoid of any factual verification. The reckless airing of such content, without authentication or adherence to basic norms of journalistic ethics, amounts to character assassination and harassment of women officers who are discharging their duties with integrity,” said a statement from the Telangana IAS officers body.

The IAS Officers' Association demanded an immediate and unconditional public apology. withdrawal of the said content from all platforms, and calls upon the Telugu news channel and all other media houses to refrain from airing, circulating, or amplifying such defamatory material in any form.

“The Association is actively exploring all available legal remedies, including civil and criminal action, to ensure accountability of all individuals and entities responsible for the creation and dissemination of this defamatory content. Any attempt to malign serving officers through false narratives will be met with firm institutional resistance,” said the statement.

The Telangana IPS officers association too in a separate statement demanded an immediate and unconditional public apology from the concerned media houses and withdrawal of the defamatory content from all platforms, including digital and social media.

“The Telangana IPS Officers’ Association also warns that any media house or individual found indulging in the dissemination of baseless, defamatory, or fabricated content against serving officers will be proceeded against strictly as per law. The Association will support and pursue all appropriate civil and criminal legal remedies, including action under applicable laws, to ensure accountability and deterrence. Let it be clearly understood that the dignity of constitutional offices, particularly the honour and safety of women officers, is non-negotiable. Any attempt to intimidate, malign, or demoralize serving officers through false narratives will be met with firm, united, and resolute institutional response,” said the IPS officers association.