Senior IAS officer Jagmohan Singh Raju, the Chief Resident Commissioner of Tamil Nadu House in Delhi, has tendered his resignation, and it has been accepted by the Tamil Nadu government.
The officer had one-and-a-half years of service left, and is likely to enter politics in Punjab, his home State.
A source told The Hindu that after considering his request for Voluntary Retirement from Service (VRS), the State government permitted the officer to do so with effect from the afternoon of January 27 under the proviso to rule 16 (2) of the All India Services (DCRB) Rules, 1958, “by waiving the three months’ notice period”.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, the officer said his conscience was being weighed upon by the “painful conditions” of his home State, and he was agonised by the lingering socio-economic stress and suffering of the unheard, the youth and the underprivileged.
“At the same time, restraints of my service rules confine me from acting in solidarity with the causes espoused by my inner voice,” he said.
The officer also said the Chief Minister had inspired him to emulate his laudable spirit and follow in his footsteps in serving one’s own people.
‘Dedicate his life’
All through his career, the officer said, his actions were guided by the teachings of Sikh gurus and the principles of ‘Babasaheb’ B.R. Ambedkar and ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy. He said he intended to return to Punjab and dedicate himself “full-time” in its service for the rest of his life.
With his resignation, Mr. Raju has joined the list of IAS officers from Tamil Nadu cadre who, in recent years, have opted for VRS for various reasons - Vijay Maruti Pingale, Santhosh Babu, U. Sagayam and Santosh K. Misra.
