Jat agitation: Little action against ‘indicted’ IAS officers

Prakash Singh had submitted the voluminous report on May 13. Till date, a few low and middle-ranking police and administrative officers have been suspended, while in many cases showcause notices are yet to be served – a mandatory requirement to take substantial action against a government servant.

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The state government is yet to question any of the senior IAS officers, including Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of violence-affected districts, on the matter.

One of those IAS officers, Anita Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar, who was termed as ”most non-performing Deputy Commissioner” by the Prakash Singh committee, remains on the post like other DCs who received adverse remarks. Asked about the issue, Neerja Sekhar, secretary (Personnel department), replied, “I can’t say anything on this.”

Incidentally, Anita Yadav is the sister of Haryana Vidhan Sabha’s deputy speaker Santosh Yadav, a BJP MLA from Ateli assembly constituency. Apart from Yadav, the committee had made adverse observations against then Rohtak DC, D K Behera, then Hisar DC Chander Shekhar Khare, Sonipat DC Rajiv Rattan and then Additional Chief Secretary (Home) P K Das.

Despite suspending three Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) on May 20, the state government has not issued showcause notices to the three. Three Haryana Civil Services officers were suspended: Jhajjar SDM Pankaj Setia, Hansi SDM Jagdeep Singh and Gohana SDM Dharmendra Singh (who was later transferred as Ferozepur Jhirka SDM). All the officers remain under suspension.

The Haryana government’s ‘inaction’ has infuriated Prakash Singh. He said, “I am disheartened and disappointed if they (government) do not take follow-up action. There was large-scale arson and looting. Ultimately, people will lose faith in the government if the political masters oblige their stooges. I can’t bulldoze the government.” He added, “My work is over and now civil society will have to exert pressure on the government.”

Secretary (personnel department) Neerja Sekhar, said, “The file is in process and once it is approved, we will issue showcause notices to the three suspended SDMs. We will seek their response on what has been mentioned against them in the Prakash Singh committee report.” Sekhar added that there was no proposal till date to issue showcause notices to any other administrative officers or the Deputy Commissioners who had received adverse comments in Prakash Singh panel report.

Police officers found delinquent in their duties by the Committee have been issued showcause notices by the authorities last week. Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Ram Niwas, said, “One IG, four SPs and 12 DSPs have been issued showcause notices last week. We give them 15 days’ time for reply. They still have around 10 days time to respond. “ However, he added that the process “is long” and will take time for the final outcome clarifying “after some time it becomes a routine matter.”

Ram Niwas added, “The state government can take decision in cases of those who are under suspension. Many a time, suspended officers are reinstated during pendency of inquiry and there is no necessary provision that they should be reinstated only after they get clean chit.”