Senior Indian Police Service officer Surya Kumar Shukla triggered a controversy yet again when he wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath conveying his desire to contribute towards the Bharatiya Janata Party’s 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign, PTI reported on Monday.

Shukla has also sought an appointment to one of four posts he has listed in the letter after his retirement. Shukla is set to retire on Friday as the director general of Home Guard.

Shukla faced criticism earlier this year for taking a pledge for the “early construction of the Ram temple” at an event in the Lucknow University on January 28.

Advertisement

“I have full commitment and faith in the works of your organisation and its ideology; I have served the people of different districts of the state and I am confident that I will be able to actively cooperate in giving further strengthen your ongoing efforts,” Shukla said in the letter written on his official letterhead, according to News 18. The date of the letter is not confirmed, with some reports claiming it was sent on August 23 and others claiming it was sent on July 23.

Shukla said the posts of vice chairman of the State Planning Commission and chairperson of the Khadi Gramodyog Board, State Samaj Kalyan Board and State Pollution Control Board were vacant and sought an appointment to one of those posts after retirement. “By appointing to any of these posts, I will be in a position to help you [Adityanath].”

“My pension post retirement will be enough for me and my family,” Shukla said in the letter. “After my retirement, I would like to actively help you [Adityanath] with the campaigning for 2019 elections.”

Shukla said he cannot “confirm or deny” the specifics of the letters, according to NDTV. “But yes, every officer wants to serve the state after retirement and I have an unblemished career record,” he said. “So what is wrong in proposing this to the government in power?”