Dilli Ka Babu: Unsafe data

With growing concern over data and privacy security in the light of the Narendra Modi sarkar’s push for the Aadhaar card, this couldn’t have come at a worse time to stoke more fears. The official website of the Indian Revenue Service officers belonging to the income-tax department was hacked allegedly by a Pakistan-based group. Sources say that the website irsofficersonline.gov.in was hacked and a message posted on the wall of the portal read “Pak Cyber Thunders. Hacked by Pak MOnster!”

This, apparently, is the second time the portal was hacked with the first attack taking place in February last year. Those in the know say that the website acts as an official communicator for work between the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the I-T department’s field offices across the country. Though no sensitive or secret information was compromised, the episode doesn’t inspire confidence when the government tries to reassure citizens that their data is absolutely secure. The IRS officers certainly wouldn’t share its optimism!

Firm on face-off

The continuing face-off between Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s government and the state’s bureaucrats has deepened the crisis. As of now there is no thaw in relations, leading to babu watchers fearing an exodus of IAS officers from Bihar. The unprecedented showdown, sparked by the arrest of Bihar Staff Selection Commission chairman Sudhir Kumar, has led to the feeling among IAS officers that the state lacks a conducive work atmosphere. Reportedly, many officers are now more than willing to take up Central assignments.

Sources say that the government has issued show cause notices to around two dozen IAS officers serving as district magistrates, asking them to explain whether they had taken permission from their seniors (read divisional commissioners) to take part either in the (state IAS officers’) association’s meeting or the human chain in front of the Raj Bhavan to protest Mr Sudhir Kumar’s arrest last month. Apart from many district magistrates, a number of other IAS officers in the rank of secretary, under secretary, joint secretary and principal secretary had taken part in the silent protest in front of the governor’s bungalow on February 26. The state IAS officers’ association had claimed that around 120 members had attended its meeting that passed a resolution not to take any verbal orders from political masters (read ministers). With Mr Nitish Kumar taking a firm line, no one expects the issue to die down anytime soon.