Bhubaneswar: Union petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan has landed in a controversy following his remarks against a senior IAS officer of the state.

The state IAS officers' association on Tuesday met chief minister Naveen Patnaik and submitted a memorandum, accusing the Union minister of targeting officers and demoralising them.

On Monday while attending the inaugural function of the National Data Centre in Bhubaneswar, Pradhan said: "No work can be done without the support of the state government. In the age of Facebook, we have noticed cases of morphing. But that does not mean that name of a person (connected with central schemes) will be replaced by another in the digital media. Meena sahib, don't do this."

Pradhan was referring to IT secretary Ashok Meena, who was present at the function inaugurated by Union minister of electronics and information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Pradhan, who was one of the guests at the function, took a dig at Meena. "Meena is an efficient officer. If he wants, many companies will come to the state. But, he needs permission from above," he said. Pradhan was referring to the chief minister's office.

Sources said the officers were annoyed the way Pradhan had made the remark. Earlier, Pradhan has been accused of misbehaving with officers, particularly the collector of Angul and other districts.

While the Union minister is yet to react to the development, the state BJP unit has come to his defence. "The minister was referring to the state government's attempt to change names of various central schemes. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was changed to the Biju Kudia Yojana. In urban area, it was changed to the Awas Yojana. Similarly, the state government has changed the nomenclature of the Centre's Saubhagya scheme that aims to provide electricity to all households and tries to take credit. That has upset the Union minister," said BJP spokesperson Prithiviraj Harichandan.

"This is most unfortunate that the minister is misbehaving with officers in such a way. He should take up issues politically rather than indulging in such tactics," said BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra.

IAS officers' association secretary Vishal Dev said: "The minister targeted a senior IAS officer personally, three times taking his name. This is not done, and it has a demoralising effect on the officers."

He said: "The association has lodged a protest with the chief minister and requested him to intervene in the matter and take it up at the appropriate level to ensure that such incidents are not repeated."

In the memorandum, the association said: "Mutual respect and confidence in each other further strengthen the relationship and also the efficacy of the system to deliver. However, recent episodes in Odisha and other parts of the country wherein officers, while discharging their professional duties, have been personally attacked by senior members of political executive which is a direct attempt to the defy the constitutional values."

Following the memorandum, other state government officers' associations, including the Odisha Administrative Officers' body, expressed their solidarity with Meena and submitted a memorandum to Naveen.