The Karnataka government has issued a show-cause notice to IAS officer Mohammad Mohsin over his tweet praising attendees of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi. The tweet lauded the recovered Tablighi members for donating their plasma for an experimental treatment. An IAS officer of the 1996 batch, Mr. Mohsin currently serves as a secretary in the Backward Class Welfare Department in Karnataka.
Mr. Mohsin had tweeted, “More than 300 Tablighi Heroes are donating their plasma to serve the country in New Delhi only. What about? #Godi Media? They will not show the works of humanity done by these heroes.” The tweet was later deleted.
“The adverse coverage this tweet has got in the media has been taken note of seriously by the government, given the serious nature of COVID-19 and the sensitivities involved,” the notice stated. The notice also seeks a written explanation from the officer within five days for breaching the All India Services Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968. Action would be taken against Mr. Mohsin as per the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969 if he fails to give a reply within the stipulated amount of time.
However, the bureaucrat is no stranger to trouble. Last year, the Election Commission had suspended him for trying to inspect PM Modi’s helicopter during the latter’s visit to Odisha. Mr. Mohsin had then been deployed as a poll observer during the Lok Sabha elections.
The tweet also contains the phrase “godi media”, which refers to media and media-persons believed to be pro-government and pro-Modi.