ADM (Revenue), Rayagada Lodges FIR Against BJP District President for Harassment and Caste-Based Insults, OASA Demands Action
Rayagada, March 20, 2025: The Odisha Administrative Service Association (OASA), Rayagada, convened an urgent meeting today at the Circuit House under the chairmanship of ADM (General)-cum-President, OASA, Rayagada. The meeting was attended by ADM (Revenue), CDO-cum-EO ZP Rayagada, the Sub-Collector, BDOS, Tahasildars, and other officials, as listed in Annexure-A.
The primary agenda of the meeting was to address the alleged misconduct by Sri Gopi Anand, District BJP President, towards ADM (Revenue), Sri Nihar Ranjan Kanhar. During the discussions, ADM (Revenue) informed the association that he had been subjected to inappropriate, impolite, and disrespectful behavior by Sri Gopi Anand on multiple occasions. This conduct, according to ADM (Revenue), undermined his authority and was insulting to his role as a dedicated civil servant.
In response to these incidents, ADM (Revenue) submitted a formal representation to the District Collector and DM, Rayagada, via letter No. 716 dated March 20, 2025. Copies of the memo were also sent to the Superintendent of Police (SP), Rayagada, the President of the State OASA, and the Principal Secretary, GA & PG Department.
Allegations of Misconduct
ADM (Revenue) highlighted several instances where Sri Gopi Anand had spoken to him in an inappropriate manner, issuing verbal orders in a high-pitched tone. Some of these included:
Directing him to visit SC & ST Department hostels and instructing the SP of Rayagada to call certain individuals.
Demanding submission of information related to all central and state schemes, fund positions, and the contact details of all district-level officers as if he were a subordinate.
Sending messages that allegedly contained offensive language, including an accusation that ADM (Revenue) was biased toward a particular political party.
Additionally, ADM (Revenue) mentioned that, as a member of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, he felt targeted and humiliated by Sri Gopi Anand’s repeated behavior. As a result, he has decided to file an FIR under the relevant provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989, and Section 221 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Broader Impact and OASA’s Stand
Other civil servants also raised concerns about similar instances of misconduct. BDO Rayagada reported that Sri Gopi Anand had misbehaved with him on March 17, 2025, issuing orders in an inappropriate tone. The Tahasildar of Bisam Cuttack also shared an incident where he was pressured to remove hoardings immediately without following due process.
The OASA, Rayagada, strongly condemned these acts, stating that such behavior is not only disrespectful to individual officers but also detrimental to the overall administrative functioning. The association emphasized that officers work at the grassroots level to implement government schemes in a scheduled district like Rayagada and should not be subjected to such undue pressure and derogatory remarks.
Call for Action
The OASA, Rayagada, has requested the State Association to take up the matter with the appropriate authorities. The association has urged for necessary steps to protect the dignity of OAS officers and ensure a conducive working environment for effective public service delivery.
