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Officers on mass leave: SAD, BJP chiefs attack Bhagwant Mann govt

Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janta Party chiefs on Monday slammed the Bhagwant Mann-led government for collapsing the administrative ecosystem in Punjab.

Updated on: Jan 9, 2023, 21:50:24 IST
By , BATHINDA
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Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) chiefs on Monday slammed the Bhagwant Mann-led government for collapsing the administrative ecosystem in Punjab.

SAD president Sukhbir Badal said the AAP government was directly responsible for forcing the state bureaucrats to move on mass casual leave. (HT file photo)
SAD president Sukhbir Badal said the AAP government was directly responsible for forcing the state bureaucrats to move on mass casual leave. (HT file photo)

SAD president Sukhbir Badal, who was overseeing arrangements for the party’s forthcoming political event this week at Muktsar on the annual Maghi Mela, said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was directly responsible for forcing the state bureaucrats to move on mass casual leave.

“Tackling corruption is of utmost necessity, but it must be done by following the rules of procedure. The fact that the government has proceeded against officers without seeking approval from the competent authority is against the rules of governance. This should not have happened,” said Sukhbir.

Responding to the decision of the state revenue officers to go on mass casual leave to express solidarity with the PCS Association indicates the official machinery lacks faith in the government.

“The revenue officers association has also accused the government of adopting an extortionist attitude. This needs to be looked into by an independent agency,” added the SAD chief.

BJP state president Ashwani Sharma, who was in Bathinda today for a party’s political function, said is probably the first time that bureaucracy has condemned the government agencies for flouting rules.

“There is no law and order, and various sections of society have developed a lack of confidence. Officers have gone on leave against the state government, and industrialists are shifting their base out of Punjab,” said Sharma.