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A senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer landed in a row for his remarks on reservation and caste heirarchy, and the issue refused to die down even after he sought apology for his remarks on Brahmin community.
At a public meeting on November 23, senior IAS officer Santosh Verma, purportedly said in Hindi that reservations should continue until a Brahmin agrees to get his daughter married off to the IAS officer’s son.
The Brahmin community on Wednesday (November 26, 2025), protested against Mr. Verma and the state General Administration Department issued a show-cause notice to him, asking why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for his remarks, which amount to “disrupting social harmony and spreading hatred in the society.”
Protests were staged in Narmadapuram, Gwalior, Burhanpur, Itarsi, Pipariya, Raisen and other places, and his effigies were burnt. Protesters demanded his dismissal from service and the registration of a First Information Report against him.
In Gwalior, a large number of lawyers and members of the Brahmin community, led by senior lawyer Anil Mishra, reached the Superintendent of Police’s office and demanded the registration of an FIR against Verma. SP Dharmveer Singh assured them that the matter will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken. Mr. Mishra warned of a larger protest if an FIR was not registered within three days.
On Tuesday (November 25), an effigy of the IAS officer was burnt in Rajgarh district. Members of the All India Brahmin Samaj also protested against him in front of the MP Nagar police station.
IAS officer apologises
On the same day, Mr. Verma apologised for his remarks saying that he never intended to insult any community or religion. “I had no intention of creating political uproar. Simply, it was our state executive meeting of Madhya Pradesh AJJAKS (Anusuchit Jati-Janjati Adhikari Evam Karmchari Sangh). During the meeting, our previous president of AJJAKS, who held the position for the last 21 years, submitted his resignation and I was elected new president of AJJAKS unanimously. After that, we were sharing our views on whether reservation should be on an economic or social basis,” said Mr. Verma.
“A few people believed that if anyone has become an IAS officer then any other member of the family should not be eligible for reservation. Speaking on this, I had said that if I am financially independent and my social backwardness is over, then my children and our community should receive ‘roti-beti’ treatment from society. But only a particular portion was propagated from my address,” Mr. Verma claimed.
He further added that he had no ill-will towards any community nor had any intention to hurt the daughter of any community.
“If my words have hurt the sentiments of any individual, or community, I sincerely apologise. Some people propagated only a portion of what I had said. Those who have fanned this controversy have taken only one line from the speech I had made,” he said.
Published – November 27, 2025 11:38 am IST
