West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday delivered a blunt and unusually direct message to the state bureaucracy during his first high-level administrative meeting at Nabanna, telling senior officials to stop using phrases like “under the inspiration of the Chief Minister” and focus instead on governance, accountability and public service. In a sharp departure from Bengal’s recent political culture, Suvendu urged bureaucrats to speak honestly, stop blindly agreeing with political leadership and work “for the people, not for the party.”
The closed-door meeting, attended by Chief Secretary Dushmanta Nariwala, Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh and secretaries from all major departments, is being seen as the first major attempt by the new BJP government to reset the relationship between the political leadership and the state administration.
“Stop Writing CM’s Inspiration”: Suvendu’s Tough 10-Point Message to Bureaucrats
According to sources present at the meeting, Suvendu outlined a detailed 10-point governance framework aimed at improving administrative coordination, restoring bureaucratic professionalism and reducing what he described as a culture of political appeasement within the system.
One of his strongest remarks came when he reportedly told officials there was no need to repeatedly mention “the Chief Minister’s inspiration” in files, speeches or public communication simply to please the political leadership. “Governance should run on service and efficiency, not personality projection,” he indicated.
The Chief Minister also made it clear that he does not support the public humiliation of officers at government events — a practice that had often triggered debate in Bengal politics. Officials, he said, would receive institutional respect, but accountability would remain strict for negligence or wrongdoing.
Suvendu reportedly acknowledged that many officers had functioned under political pressure over the past fifteen years, but added that bureaucrats should have shown the courage to oppose unlawful or improper decisions when necessary.
In another significant instruction, the Chief Minister encouraged officers to communicate directly with him without hesitation. He told bureaucrats they should freely share suggestions, disagreements or administrative concerns rather than functioning in fear.
Sources said Suvendu also ordered the creation of a dedicated coordination group — possibly through digital platforms like WhatsApp or email — involving the Chief Secretary, departmental secretaries and the Chief Minister himself to ensure faster communication and monitoring.
The new administration additionally stressed financial discipline, instructing departments to avoid unnecessary expenditure while ensuring that essential development work is not delayed.
The Chief Minister reportedly directed officials to immediately restart centrally sponsored schemes that had remained stalled in Bengal and assured them that the government would work to accelerate the release of central funds.
Suvendu also reminded bureaucrats that the BJP government intends to implement every major commitment mentioned in its election manifesto, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally emphasised the importance of fulfilling those promises.
Perhaps the clearest political signal came in his closing remarks, where he urged officers not to function in fear. “Do your work honestly and without hesitation. Those who work sincerely will always have my support,” he reportedly told the gathering.
Political observers believe the meeting reflected Suvendu’s attempt to project a more disciplined, performance-driven administrative culture as the BJP government begins its first term in Bengal.
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