Madhya Pradesh’s IAS officer Shailbala Martin has once again come into limelight. There is an uproar over one of his comments regarding ‘loudspeaker on the temple’.
Madhya Pradesh’s IAS officer Shailbala Martin has once again come into limelight. There is an uproar over one of his comments regarding ‘loudspeaker on the temple’. On one hand, many leaders of the Congress party have supported the IAS officer, on the other hand, many members of BJP and Hindu organizations are expressing objection to the comments made by the administrative officer. However, it is not the first time that Martin has said something on religious issues. Be it Kanwar Yatra or Karva Chauth, she often comments on religious issues and sometimes does not shy away from expressing her opinion on political issues.
Shailbala, a 2009 batch IAS officer, said that loudspeakers installed in temples are causing noise pollution, about which there is now a controversy. In fact, a journalist wrote on But there is a question for the DJists that if loudspeakers are removed from mosques, will DJing and dirty sloganeering stop? Will not happen. Then all this will be done on some other pretext because there is politics behind this religious rivalry, it will not let it stop. Muslims should show understanding and give a chance to DJs. They should remove loud speakers from mosques. God will hear anyway, because He is not deaf.
Retweeting this, the officer wrote, ‘And the loudspeakers installed on temples, which spread noise pollution through speakers far in many streets, which play till midnight, do not cause any disturbance to anyone.’ Now a ruckus has broken out on social media over Shailbala’s tweet. Some people have come in his support while some are reminding him of the service rules and advising him not to make such comments on religious and political issues. Now conflict is also being seen between BJP and Congress regarding the comments of the IAS officer.
Shailbala is very active on social media
IAS Shailbala, Additional Secretary in Madhya Pradesh Government, is also very active on social media. She often posts on religious, social or political issues. On October 20 itself, he made a comment regarding Karva Chauth. One user wrote, ‘Chanda Mama is the one who is made to wait on Eid and also on Karva Chauth.’ On this he wrote, ‘Will the fast be broken or will the moon darshan/puja be stopped with sticks?’
In July this year, when some Kanwariyas vandalized the bike in Saharanpur when Kanwar was broken, while sharing the video, Martin wrote, ‘There should be a dedicated corridor for Kanwar Yatra.’ In another post he had written, ‘Absolutely boycott it. Also caution the Kanwadis that they should not use rock salt at all during the fast. You must know where rock salt comes from. Commenting on the statement of Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister regarding the price of pulses on July 10, he wrote, ‘Who says pulses are expensive? Dal is not expensive sir, your purchasing power has decreased. On June 27, he wrote on a social post about Kejriwal, ‘And after coming back, he will call everyone corrupt.’
On July 12, when he criticized the expenditure on Anant Ambani’s wedding, while replying to Baba Ramdev’s comment on displaying correct identity at shops, he wrote, ‘Baba ji should also tell his name as Ramkishan Yadav. The one who has hidden his name is preaching to others. What do you guys think?
