A senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer landed in a row for his remarks on reservation and caste heirarchy, and the issue refused to die down even after he sought apology for his remarks on Brahmin community.
At a public meeting on November 23, senior IAS officer Santosh Verma, purportedly said in Hindi that reservations should continue until a Brahmin agrees to get his daughter married off to the IAS officer’s son.
The Brahmin community on Wednesday (November 26, 2025), protested against Mr. Verma and the state General Administration Department issued a show-cause notice to him, asking why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for his remarks, which amount to “disrupting social harmony and spreading hatred in the society.”
Protests were staged in Narmadapuram, Gwalior, Burhanpur, Itarsi, Pipariya, Raisen and other places, and his effigies were burnt. Protesters demanded his dismissal from service and the registration of a First Information Report against him.
In Gwalior, a large number of lawyers and members of the Brahmin community, led by senior lawyer Anil Mishra, reached the Superintendent of Police’s office and demanded the registration of an FIR against Verma. SP Dharmveer Singh assured them that the matter will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken. Mr. Mishra warned of a larger protest if an FIR was not registered within three days.
