Officers' deputation sans state nod to hit federalism, says NCP leader Praful Patel

NAGPUR: Senior NCP leader Praful Patel on Tuesday said moving state cadre officers to deputation at the Centre without permission from the state concerned will undermine federalism.

Replying to a query on NCP president Sharad Pawar meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the near future, he said, "Sharad Pawar ji is a big leader of our country and he spoke to Mamata Banerjee."

The two leaders discussed various issues during the telephonic talk, Patel said while talking to journalists at the Nagpur airport.

Asked about the Centre-West Bengal government tussle over deputation of IPS officers, the former Unon minister said such a thing has happened in Maharashtra also.

"Three IPS officers from the Maharashtra cadre were moved (to central deputation) without the permission of the state," claimed Patel, whose party is a key ally in the Shiv Sena-led MVA government.

"We are in a federal structure, IPS and IAS are central services and every state has been given a cadre.

"And if the central government takes officers from those cadre without (permission of state concerned)), then I feel federal system will have no importance," he said.

To a query on the TMC-ruled state, where assembly polls are due in the first half of 2021, Patel said, "The way a certain kind of environment is being created in West Bengal, it is quite obvious that pressure tactics is being applied there.