Now revenue officials in AAP govt’s crosshairs amid renewed anti-corruption drive in Punjab

A resurgent Mann, who was earlier absent from the state particularly during his Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) campaign for the Delhi Assembly polls before playing second fiddle to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in meetings with Punjab MLAs and then police officials, has opted for strict action in the face of “blackmail and arm twisting”.

In a post on X, Mann issued a warning to tehsildars and naib tehsildars, ahead of state Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian’s meeting to placate the agitating revenue officials, who had under the aegis of the Punjab Revenue Officers Association collectively gone on mass casual leave and refused to register sale deeds of properties.

The CM said the tehsildars are protesting in favour of their “corrupt colleagues” but “our government has zero tolerance against corruption”. “To prevent inconvenience to the public, other tehsil officers are being given the responsibility of all tehsil work. Tehsildars can enjoy their mass casual leave. However, people will decide when and where you rejoin after this holiday,” Mann said on Tuesday.

By Tuesday evening, the government suspended 15 revenue officials for not heeding Mann’s warning. A day later, on Wednesday, the CM ordered a massive reshuffle, transferring 58 tehsildars and 177 naib tehsildars, and assigning their responsibilities to the Deputy Commissioners concerned. The government also gave additional powers to other local officials, including the registration of property sale deeds.

Though the Punjab Revenue Officers Association claimed a “false narrative” was being created against tehsildars, putting their reputation at stake amid the Vigilance Bureau’s probes, the agitating revenue officers called off their strike by Wednesday evening and returned to work on Thursday.

“This sent a message loud and clear that the crusade against corruption will continue. The CM has managed to do that,” said an AAP leader, adding that the government’s action had “even silenced the Opposition”, which has neither condemned nor lauded the CM’s decisions.

The fiasco surrounding the revenue officials comes against the backdrop of the AAP government’s renewed push against corruption following the party’s loss in the Delhi Assembly polls.

After the Delhi loss in early February, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had landed in Punjab on February 11 for a meeting with the party’s state leadership amid speculation that Mann would be removed as the CM. While putting these rumours to rest, the party had set its sights on the 2027 Punjab Assembly polls.

Days later, on February 14, the Mann government issued a letter to bureaucrats, from secretaries to police officials, with orders to be “more responsive and accountable” or face punishment for failing to follow instructions.

Though the AAP had swept to power in 2022 on the back of its anti-graft agenda, the Kejriwal meeting marked the beginning of the party renewing its drive against corruption. With the AAP’s rout in the Delhi polls partly attributed to allegations of corruption – from the alleged liquor policy scam to the “Sheesh Mahal” controversy – the party leadership has seen a clear public signal that an anti-corruption agenda is needed to regain its momentum.

What followed was a series of sacking across departments. The government dismissed more than 50 police officers on charges of corruption, appointed new police chiefs in nine districts, and sought resignations from 236 law officers over their performance of the Advocate General’s office – all in the span of a week last month. The government also directed Deputy Commissioners of all districts to ensure that sub registrars do not engage in bribery, by inspecting at least one sub registrar office every day for a week.

With these mass dismissals and reshuffles, the AAP government is looking to send a strong signal about its commitment to tackling corruption, particularly in its own bureaucracy.