Hours before Kerala Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak’s retirement after over three decades in service, senior IAS officer N. Prasanth ignited a public feud through a pointed social media post. Without directly naming Jayathilak, Prasanth shared a photo of the Chief Secretary with a reflective essay on power, public office, and accountability. The post, titled “Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah,” raised discussions within bureaucratic and political circles, coinciding with Jayathilak’s farewell event at the Secretariat.
The essay emphasized the transient nature of authority, cautioning against the belief of indispensability among high-ranking officials. It criticized the culture of sycophancy surrounding powerful figures, highlighting how farewell ceremonies often mask flaws as strengths and inefficiencies as effectiveness. Drawing from various texts, including Poonthanam’s ‘Jnanappana’ and religious scriptures, the post underscored the importance of distinguishing between fear and respect, silence and consent, and personal forgiveness versus legal accountability.
Despite not explicitly mentioning Jayathilak, the post’s timing and accompanying photo left little doubt among officials about its target. This incident adds to the longstanding rivalry between the two IAS officers, which previously led to disciplinary actions and suspensions under the former administration. Prasanth’s reinstatement under the new government earlier this month coincided with the unfolding of this latest episode, casting a shadow over Jayathilak’s farewell ceremony at the Secretariat.
