"Assalamu Alaikum" greeting; complaint against IPS officer

Kolkata | Reporter

A complaint has been lodged with the Home Secretary of West Bengal against IPS officer Bushra Bano, because she used the Urdu greeting “Assalamu Alaikum” in her new video. In this video, Bushra Bano narrated her journey to joining the civil services.

The complaint filed by the Hindu Legal Fund alleges that the officer began the video with “Assalamu Alaikum”, “Insha Allah” and concluded it with “Jazakallah”. She did not say “Vande Mataram” or “Jai Hind”. The complaint states that a serving officer representing the Indian state should remain neutral in public discourse and use national expressions, and it calls for an investigation against IPS Bushra Bano.

*From Saudi Arabia to Khargpur, the Inspirational Journey of IPS Bushra Bano*

Officer Bushra Bano has released a video describing her journey from Saudi Arabia to one of India’s most prestigious government positions. Born in the Kannauj district of Uttar Pradesh, Bushra Bano earned a PhD in Management Studies from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). She also successfully completed the National Eligibility Test Junior Research Fellowship. Her career progression did not slow down even after marriage and nikah. With a firm intention to clear the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination, she worked for a few years in Saudi Arabia as an assistant professor before returning home. Bushra Bano says, “The Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) of AMU helped me greatly by providing study material and access to its library. Their test series also aided my preparation.”

*Passed UPSC Twice*

Bano cleared the UPSC examination in 2018, securing the 277th rank. She obtained a posting in the Indian Railway Transport Service. However, she could not accept the job due to her second pregnancy. The following year, she sat the exam again and this time achieved the 234th rank and was selected for the Indian Police Service (IPS). She was allotted a West Bengal cadre as an IPS officer in the 2021 batch. Her first posting was as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Hugli Rural. In June of this year, she was promoted to Additional Superintendent of Police (Additional SP) and is currently posted in Khargpur.