The High Cost of Political Proximity And Collateral Damage to UT Cadre IAS Officers

The summer of 2016 witnessed one of the most controversial moments in American political history. On a Phoenix airport tarmac, two planes sat side by side—one carrying Attorney General Loretta Lynch, the other former President Bill Clinton. What followed was a 20-minute conversation that would fundamentally alter the trajectory of American politics.

The Storm 

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, was under federal investigation for her use of a private email server. The entire nation watched as the Department of Justice deliberated whether to indict a potential future president. At the centre of this storm sat Loretta Lynch—the Attorney General tasked with making the most consequential decision of her career.   

Lynch's government plane had just landed in Phoenix. Nearby, Bill Clinton's aircraft was parked on the same tarmac. The former President, recognising the Attorney General's presence, walked over and climbed aboard her plane. For 20 minutes, two of America's most powerful figures engaged in what Lynch later described as "purely social conversation"

The Collateral Damage 

To Lynch, it was a gesture of respect between old colleagues—Clinton had appointed her as a US Attorney in 1999. To the watching world, it looked like a fix was in. The meeting triggered a political earthquake that stripped Lynch of her effective authority over the Clinton investigation and handed the decision to FBI Director James Comey.

The Delhi Dilemma and Damage 

In the corridors of Delhi's power structure, a strikingly similar pattern was emerging. Two senior UT cadre IAS officers were in the forefront of  facing collateral damage from purely professional relationships with political masters.

The Principal Secretary's Fall

A few years ago, a Chief Minister made what seemed like a routine request: he wanted a particular UT cadre IAS officer transferred to his state as Principal Secretary.  Top source said that  request was professional but the response was personal, and the Top brass in Delhi read this closely, which led to an unintended impression or a case of divided loyalty. This soft request from Chief Minister led an collateral damage- immediate transfer of said Principal Secretary to another hard post.

History Repeats 

Recently, the pattern repeated with chilling precision. A top source said that another Chief Minister requested a senior IAS officer from Delhi, citing the need for experienced hands in his administration. The repose was said to be swift.  The said UT cadre IAS officer was divested of all charges overnight. The reason is said to be another casualty in the brutal calculus of perceived proximity to political power. 

While these episodic cases of collateral damage paint a sad picture within the administrative machinery, where both Loretta Lynch and Delhi IAS officers were punished for building the trust necessary for governance, they also raise serious questions about whether they are the result of genuine trust issues or deliberate, calculated moves in bureaucratic power games.