Lagatar24 Desk
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala IAS officer N Prashanth, popularly known as ‘Collector Bro’ for his strong social media following, has been suspended on disciplinary grounds after publicly criticizing Additional Chief Secretary A Jayathilak. Known for his active online engagement, Prashanth has over 3 lakh followers on Facebook and 50,000 on Instagram. While his unique approach to governance through social media has drawn public support, it has also raised eyebrows among politicians. Ironically, it was his criticism on social media that landed him in trouble, with the Kerala government now taking action against him.
Prashanth, a 2007-batch IAS officer, referred to A Jayathilak as a “psychopath” and accused him of spreading fake reports. Responding to his suspension, he defended his actions as those of a “whistleblower” and hinted that his ambitions extend beyond his role in the civil service.
Who is ‘Collector Bro’?
Hailing from Thalassery in Kannur, N Prashanth graduated from Loyola School and Government Law College in Thiruvananthapuram, completing his IAS training in 2007. He gained popularity as the Kozhikode district collector in 2015, earning the moniker ‘Collector Bro’ for his direct engagement with citizens on social media and launching initiatives like a community clean-up of a 14-acre pond, offering volunteers Malabar biryani as a reward. His book Collector Bro: The Quixotic ‘Thallals’ of a Civil Servant details his tenure and challenges in Kozhikode.
The Outburst and Allegations
The current controversy erupted when Prashanth criticized Additional Chief Secretary Jayathilak, alleging that he “ruined the lives of subordinates” who opposed him. This criticism was reportedly sparked by a media report suggesting that files related to ‘Unnathi’—a project for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes welfare—had gone missing under Prashanth’s leadership. The officer dismissed these claims, calling them baseless and accusing Jayathilak of planting the reports. Prashanth commented, “If criticizing individuals’ inappropriate tendencies leads to consequences, that’s news to me.”
Political Underpinnings
The suspension has taken on a political tone, with former Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma alleging that Prashanth conspired against her with Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala. She claims Prashanth was involved in spreading a controversy over a deep-sea trawler deal in 2021, saying, “Today, Kerala sees the fallout of Prashanth breaking service rules… back in February 2021, he played the villain in a political conspiracy.”
The Congress-led UDF opposition coalition in Kerala has commented on the clash, suggesting it reflects discontent within the state’s bureaucracy under the Left government.
