Post-poll action: ‘Devious’ means: Govt employees, varsity teachers face the heat in Haryana

While 4 dist social welfare officers ‘sent recovery notices’ to beneficiaries during polls, 10 MDU teachers ‘took part’ in political activity

While 4 dist social welfare officers ‘sent recovery notices’ to beneficiaries during polls, 10 MDU teachers ‘took part’ in political activity

The notices were sent by the DSWOs for the recovery of social security pension amounts wrongly drawn by the beneficiaries. (HT File Photo)

Government employees in Haryana are in the line of fire for allegedly trying to disturb the level playing field during the Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP government in Haryana has placed four district social welfare officers (DSWOs) under suspension for allegedly indulging in a devious act of sending recovery notices to the beneficiaries of social security pensions during the imposition of model code of conduct. The notices were sent by the DSWOs for the recovery of social security pension amounts wrongly drawn by the beneficiaries.

Former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar recently said that as per the model code of conduct, political parties cannot indulge in acts which can influence voters during the elections. “However, the same principle applies to government employees too. They cannot indulge in acts which can rile people. A circular issued by these employees (DSWOs) resulted in stopping of the old age pension of 25,000 beneficiaries. These employees actually worked towards annoying people. The disbursal of pension amount though was restored,’’ Khattar said indicating that the ruling BJP might have suffered in the elections because of recovery notices.

Terming a section of the employees as “black sheep”, Khattar, who himself is contesting as a BJP candidate from Karnal Lok Sabha constituency, has accused them of siding with the BJP’s political rivals by turning a blind eye towards bogus polling in various constituencies including his former assembly constituency Karnal. “I have asked the chief minister to get a list of errant employees prepared. We will deal with them after June 4. It is the responsibility of the employees to get free and fair elections conducted. Here it is a case of the fence eating the crop,’’ Khattar said indicating that a section of employees didn’t act in an unbiassed manner during polls.

SEWA employees face the heat

Social justice, empowerment, welfare of SCs and BCs and antyodaya (SEWA) department officials said that those placed under suspension were Yamunanagar DSWO Ishwar Rathi, Panipat DSWO Ravinder Hooda, Karnal DSWO Satyawan Singh and Gurgaon DSWO Jitender Kumar. Panipat DSWO also holds the additional charge of Sonepat, while Karnal DSWO Satyawan Singh holds the additional charge of Kaithal. Gurgaon DSWO Jitender Kumar holds the additional charge of Nuh.

Officials said that since these district social welfare officers sent recovery notices during the election period when model code of conduct was in force, the timing of sending the notices indicated deviousness. “The recovery notices could have been sent after the polls were over. What was the urgency to send notices when the election process was on? Clearly, it was a deliberate act to disturb the level playing field,’’ said an official.

MDU teachers also face the music

Following a May 22 communication by the Rohtak district election officer, the Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, has also placed under suspension five teachers for allegedly taking part in political activity and poll campaigning. Besides, five teachers have been issued show cause notices. Those placed under suspension are assistant professors at the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) Dr Pradeep Gahlot, Dr Surender Singh and Dr Raj Kumar; associate professor at department of botany Dr Surender Singh and associate professor at department of pharmaceutical science Dr Mahesh Kumar. Those issued show cause notices are associate professor, computer engineering, UIET, Dr Vikas Siwach; assistant professor, UIET, Dr Sandeep Malik, associate professor, UIET, Dr Rajesh, professor Suresh Malik of department of statistics and professor Randeep Rana of Department of English.

‘Former CM using undue influence to persecute employees’

Employee unions in Haryana however have hit back. An employee leader, Vijender Dhariwal who is the president of Pension Bahali Sangharsh Samiti, an organisation pushing for restoration of old pension scheme (OPS) in Haryana, has written to the Election Commission (EC) stating that the former chief minister is using “undue influence” to victimise employees.

“If an employee has indulged in wrongdoing while being on election duty, the Election Commission is quite capable of taking action. Even the contesting candidate can make a compliant to the Commission. However, instead of complaining to the EC, former chief minister ML Khattar has issued a warning of taking action employees after June 4, the day votes will be counted. This shows that he clearly wants to persecute the employees,” Dhariwal wrote.

Akhil Bharatiya Rajya Sarkari Karamchari Mahasangh’s president Subhash Lamba in a statement said that allegations of employees acting in an unfair and prejudiced manner are absolutely incorrect. “Government employees are also citizens and voters. They are not slaves of a political party. Employees too have a right to elect a government of their choice using their wisdom and no one can snatch that right,’’ Lamba said.