The Kerala government has suspended two IAS officers, K Gopalakrishnan and N Prashanth, following recent controversies and allegations of indiscipline. The decision, made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is based on a report from Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, highlighting issues that have sparked widespread discussion in Kerala.

K Gopalakrishnan, a 2013-batch IAS officer and the current Director of Industries and Commerce, was suspended after creating a WhatsApp group named "Mallu Hindu Officers," allegedly intended to promote communal alignments among officials. Gopalakrishnan claimed his phone had been hacked, resulting in unauthorized groups, including “Mallu Muslim Officers,” being created. However, forensic analysis refuted these claims, revealing multiple factory resets performed on his phone during the inquiry. The state government’s order deemed his actions divisive, aiming to disrupt unity within the All India Services.

The second officer, N Prashanth, a 2007-batch IAS officer and Special Secretary in the Agriculture Department, was suspended after he openly criticized Additional Chief Secretary A Jayathilak on social media, accusing him of fabricating news to tarnish his image. Known as "Collector Bro" for his previous work as Kozhikode District Collector, Prashanth alleged that certain files under the welfare program ‘Unnathi’ had gone missing, with reports blaming him unjustly. Prashanth defended his criticism as part of his right to free expression, asserting that his remarks were aimed at specific individuals, not the government.

Kerala’s Revenue Minister K Rajan emphasized that the government expects officials to follow protocol strictly, warning that any breaches would lead to stern action. Former state fisheries minister Mercykutty Amma added to the controversy, accusing Prashanth of collaborating with the Opposition UDF to level corruption charges against her.

This disciplinary action underscores Kerala’s commitment to enforcing standards among government officials, especially concerning social media use and interdepartmental relations.