Day after sit-ups in front of lawyers, IAS officer transferred

Hindustan Times

6 days ago

LUCKNOW/MEERUT The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday transferred IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahi and attached him to the UP Revenue Board in Lucknow, nearly 36 hours after a video purportedly showing him doing sit-ups, holding his ears in front of protesting lawyers in Shahjahanpur, went viral on Tuesday. Rahi, the newly appointed sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Powayan tehsil in Shahjahanpur, has now been relieved of the post. Rinku Singh Rahi performed sit-ups while holding his ears in front of lawyers on Tuesday. (Sourced)
'The state government took serious note of the sit-ups performed by Rahi in front of lawyers. It's a violation of the All India Services Conduct Rules as well as 'unbecoming of an officer'- an inappropriate act that was not in accordance with the post,' said a senior state government officer.
The 2022-batch IAS officer had taken charge as SDM at 11pm on July 28. The following day, during an inspection on the tehsil premises, he spotted a clerk (munshi) of an advocate urinating against a wall. In response, the SDM made the clerk perform sit-ups on the spot, a move that instantly drew attention.
Following this incident, Rahi interacted with a group of lawyers staging a protest near the tehsil office. The lawyers expressed their grievances about the appalling condition of toilets on the premises, stating that advocates and clerks were often forced to urinate in the open due to the lack of proper sanitation facilities. Acknowledging their concerns, Rahi reportedly stated that as the senior-most officer of the tehsil, he accepted moral responsibility for the poor hygiene.
In a dramatic gesture of accountability, Rahi held his ears and performed five sit-ups in front of the lawyers. While some hailed the act as a bold message of leadership and humility, the gesture went viral on social media and drew mixed reactions.
The video triggered a response from higher administrative levels, with the state government seeking a detailed report from the DM on the incident. Following the submission of the report, Rahi was relieved of his duties as SDM and transferred to the Revenue Board in Lucknow.
Speaking on the matter, Rinku Singh Rahi confirmed his transfer and clarified his stance. 'Maintaining sanitation is not directly the SDM's responsibility. It was only my first day after joining. I wanted to send a message to the society that when something goes wrong, an officer must show accountability. Transfer is part of the system. I will serve with full commitment wherever the government sends me,' he said.