IAS officer Santosh Verma in fresh row over viral remarks echoing MP Chandrashekhar: ‘How many will you kill’

IAS Santosh Verma (Image: ANI)

Senior IAS officer Santosh Verma, state president of the Anusuchit Jati-Janjati Adhikari Karmachari Sangh (AJJAKS) in Madhya Pradesh, has landed in controversy again after a video surfaced on social media in which he is heard making provocative remarks, reportedly mirroring comments by Bhim Army MP Chandrashekhar.

In the video, Verma can be heard saying, “How many Santosh Vermas will you kill? How many will you burn? How many will you swallow? Now, every household will produce a Santosh Verma, and you won’t have the strength to burn them all”.

While the video’s date and location remains unclear, it has surfaced amid the ongoing backlash over his previous comments regarding Brahmin daughters.

Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj leader Pushpendra Mishra has reacted to the viral video. “Despite making derogatory comments about Brahmin daughters, no action has been taken against Verma. If an FIR is not filed soon, the community will be forced to protest,” he was quoted in a Dainik Bhaskar report.

He called on the chief minister to intervene in the matter and ensure accountability.

Verma told Dainik Bhaskar that the viral clip was recorded during an internal association meeting at the AJJAKS office. “The statement was made during a discussion with association officials and workers. It references what Bhim Army MP Chandrashekhar said. Nothing wrong was said, and it was part of an internal meeting,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government told the state Assembly that Santosh Verma is not the recognised president of AJJAKS, stating that official records list Mukesh Maurya as the association’s state president, the report said. The clarification came in response to a query by MLA Rajendra Bharti, with the General Administration Department confirming the details in its December 2 reply.

At a public meeting in Bhopal on November 23, Verma purportedly said that “reservations should continue until a Brahmin donates his daughter to my son, or (she) has a relationship with him.”

The remarks stirred a huge controversy, with demands for a case to be registered against him. The Madhya Pradesh government issued a show-cause notice to Verma for his controversial public statements, terming them “detrimental to social harmony” and a blatant breach of civil service conduct rules.

An effigy of the IAS officer was burnt in Rajgarh district. Members of the All India Brahmin Samaj also protested against him.

As the outrage grew, Verma expressed regret and issued an apology. “If my statement has hurt anyone, I sincerely apologise. The discussion was about reservation and social harmony. I only meant that when different communities begin to share stronger ‘roti-beti’ ties, the need to debate reservation will naturally reduce. In that context, I mentioned the idea of ‘kanyadaan’. My words were not meant to convey anything offensive. If anyone felt hurt by what I said, I express my regret,” he was quoted by AajTak as saying.