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Kerala IAS Officer N Prashanth, also known as ‘Collector Bro’, has become a prominent figure after being suspended on disciplinary grounds for publicly criticizing a senior official. With more than 3 lakh followers on Facebook and 50,000 on Instagram, Prashanth’s social media presence had already garnered attention from politicians and the public alike. However, it was his outspoken criticism of Additional Chief Secretary A Jayathilak that ultimately led to his suspension by the Kerala government. Despite the disciplinary action and ongoing controversy, Prashanth defends his use of social media, calling it the best platform to directly engage with the people and address important issues.
The suspension followed a series of accusations and public comments made by Prashanth against Jayathilak, whom he referred to as a “psychopath” and accused of orchestrating baseless media reports aimed at tarnishing his reputation. The catalyst for the dispute was a media report alleging that several files of ‘Unnathi’, an initiative for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, had gone missing during Prashanth’s tenure as its CEO. The report led to an investigation, but Prashanth vehemently denied the accusations, claiming that Jayathilak was behind the fake news. Prashanth’s outspoken remarks on social media raised eyebrows, and the Kerala government took action to suspend him, citing disciplinary grounds.
While the suspension has generated significant media attention, Prashanth has maintained that he was merely fulfilling his duty as a whistleblower. He argued that his criticism was directed at the actions of certain individuals and not the government or its policies. Prashanth explained that his goal was to expose corruption and the creation of fake news, which he believed was undermining the integrity of his work. He stated, “If criticising such actions leads to consequences, that’s news to me,” reinforcing his stance that transparency and honesty should be prioritized in governance.
Who Is ‘Collector Bro’?
Prashanth, a 2007-batch IAS officer from Thalassery in Kerala’s Kannur district, is no stranger to media attention. He studied at Loyola School and Government Law College in Thiruvananthapuram before completing a degree in banking law. Prashanth joined the IAS in 2007, eventually being appointed Kozhikode district collector in 2015. During his time in this role, he became widely known as ‘Collector Bro’ due to his innovative social media interactions with the public and unique initiatives. One of the most notable was a Facebook post in which he called for volunteers to help clean a 14-acre lake, promising them a plate of Malabar biryani as a reward. This gesture garnered significant attention, leading to a wave of volunteers who later enjoyed their promised meal.
Prashanth’s approach to public service extended beyond social media. He later wrote a book, Collector Bro: The Quixotic ‘Thallals’ of a Civil Servant, where he reflected on his experiences leading the Kozhikode district administration. His rise in the bureaucracy saw him appointed as Special Secretary in the SC/ST Development Department.
The ongoing controversy involving Prashanth and Jayathilak has become a topic of heated debate, with political figures also weighing in. CPM leader and former Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma accused Prashanth of being involved in a political conspiracy against her. She claimed that he conspired with Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala in 2021, linking him to a controversial deep-sea trawler deal. According to Amma, Chennithala released a document falsely claiming that the Fisheries Department had sanctioned the deal, when in reality, it was Prashanth who had signed the MoU. This accusation adds another layer to the already complex political drama surrounding Prashanth.
Despite the suspension, Prashanth has remained defiant, defending his actions as a whistleblower. He emphasized that his criticism was directed at individuals, not the government itself, and reiterated that creating fake news reports is not in line with government policy. His case has also sparked discussions about the power dynamics and political infighting within Kerala’s bureaucracy, with the Congress-led UDF accusing government officers of fighting among themselves under the Left regime.
The case of N Prashanth, ‘Collector Bro’, highlights the growing intersection of social media, public service, and politics, reflecting the complexities of modern governance. As this saga unfolds, it remains to be seen how it will impact both Kerala’s administrative framework and the wider political landscape.
