Kerala Transport Commissioner's b'day bash turns bitter

Controversial IPS officer and Kerala State Transport Commissioner Tomin J. Thachankary has landed in a fresh trouble for issuing a circular to Road Transport Office employees to celebrate his birthday by distributing sweets on Wednesday. A day after the special day was celebrated across the state with cake-cutting and distribution of sweets among motorists and officials, the Transport Minister A K Saseendran directed Chief Secretary to look into the birthday bash. 

Thachankary led the celebrations from the front at Kochi by cutting a huge cake with RTO officials. He also rode a motorbike to a fuel station at Kochi, (wearing a helmet, of course), and cut another cake with motorists there, amidst loud cheers and b'day songs. Well, that celebration was also of the awareness campaign for compulsory wearing of helmet by bike riders. 

But the celebration raised more eyebrows than cheers and kicked up a controversy. The Transport Minister, who had a brush with Thachankery with in days after he assumed office,  has now asked the Chief Secretary to check whether the Transport Commissioner violated service rules by issuing the 'unusual circular.'

Thachankery, however, remains unperturbed. He said he was ready to face any probe. He said he paid the bills for the celebration and hence, why make so much fuss about it?  

Controversies are not new to the IPS officer who faced disciplinary action during the previous UDF government in connection with a land deal. Just after the Left Government assumed power in Kerala, Thachankery came under fire for declaring 'No helmet, no fuel plan,' a road safety awareness plan that prohibited fuel stations from supplying petrol to motorist who do not wear helmet.  He had to shelve the project  after it invited the wrath of the Transport Minister.