Did ‘Assalamualaikum’, ‘Inshallah’ cost IPS officer Bushra Bano her Bengal posting?

A Hindu outfit had objected to the use of Islamic greetings in Bushra Bano's video message to students. The BJP government said her transfer was routine

BJP-ruled West Bengal, on September 14, witnessed the transfer of an IPS officer in a controversial coincidence with a Hindu outfit’s objections to her using Islamic greetings in a video encouraging students to prepare for competitive examinations.

Bushra Bano, the additional superintendent of police of Kharagpur and a 2021 batch IPS officer, has been shifted to the post of deputy commandant of the state armed police’s 4th Battalion. Partha Ghosh will take over as the new Additional SP of Kharagpur.

The Suvendu Adhikari government described the transfer as routine. But it has come amidst the controversy over a video Bushra Bano posted on social media platform X on September 13. In the video, she spoke about her experience at the Aligarh Muslim University’s (AMU) Residential Coaching Academy (RCA), where she had prepared for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations.

Bushra Bano, dressed in police uniform in the video, spoke about how the RCA had helped her prepare for competitive examinations. She recalled returning to India after working as an assistant professor at a university in Saudi Arabia and pursuing her UPSC preparations.

She said the RCA’s resources, including books, library facilities and mock tests, had played an important role in her preparation, and urged students to make use of the platform. “I hope more students enrol at the academy and use this platform so that more people like me can come forward,” Bushra Bano said in the video.

The row erupted not from the substance of her message but the Islamic greetings and expressions she used at the beginning and end of the video. Bushra Bano began with “Assalamualaikum” (Peace be upon you), used “Inshallah” (God willing) in her message and ended with “Jazakallah [Khair]” (May Allah reward you with goodness).

The Hindu Legal Fund, an outfit that describes itself as a unit of the Hindu Network Foundation, objected to Bushra Bano’s ‘language’ and filed a complaint with the Bengal home secretary, seeking action against the officer.

“She (Bushra Bano) began with Assalamualaikum, used Inshallah, ended with Jazakallah—and did not use Vande Mataram or Jai Hind. A serving officer representing the Indian state should maintain neutrality and use national expressions in public communication. Seeking appropriate review and action,” the Hindu Legal Fund said in a post on X.

The outfit questioned how a government officer, speaking in uniform and identifying herself by her official designation, could use the expressions in question in public communication. It questioned why she had not used “Vande Mataram” or “Jai Hind”, which are commonly used by government officials.

The controversy quickly spilled onto social media, with some criticising Bushra Bano for using ‘religious’ expressions in an official-looking video. Others, however, questioned whether the demand for religious neutrality was being applied consistently to public officials.

Former civil servant Ashish Joshi came out in Bushra Bano’s support. “India's true strength lies in its unity amidst diversity. Mashallah to Bushra Bano IPS, an officer who cleared the UPSC twice, left a comfortable job in Saudi Arabia, and is now serving the nation with complete dedication. Her choice of words reflects her personal faith, not a denial of the country she safeguards. In a vast and diverse nation like India, this coexistence is not a weakness, but our pride. Thank you for your service, Bushra! Jazakallah Khair!” Joshi posted on X.

Another user on X drew a comparison with the use of Hindu religious slogans by senior political leaders. Meanwhile, a social media group alleged Bushra Bano was being targeted by Hindu right-wing organisations because she is from a minority community.

The controversy in no way takes away Bushra Bano’s unusual journey to the IPS (Indian Police Service). A native of Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, she completed her PhD at AMU and went to work in Saudi Arabia. On return, she then joined Coal India while preparing for UPSC examinations.

On clearing the civil services exam, Bushra Bano was selected for the Indian Railway Traffic Service. She subsequently also cleared the Uttar Pradesh administrative service examination and became a sub-divisional magistrate. Then, she cracked the UPSC civil services examination a second time, securing entry into the IPS.

Bushra Bano’s achievement has previously drawn attention because she cleared the UPSC twice while raising two children. Her journey has often been cited as an example of persistence in the country's fiercely competitive civil services examination system.

The video controversy, however, has shifted attention from her career journey to a much narrower question: whether an officer’s use of a personal religious greetings in a public communication amounts to breach of official neutrality. The state government has maintained that Bushra Bano’s transfer was routine even as the row over her video continues to generate a wider debate on religion, public office and the boundaries of personal expression for government officials.