Minister, senior officials lock horns

A ROW has erupted in the Homeguards department over the posting of all 525 newly appointed Class Four employees in Kushinagar and Deoria districts. While the Minister for Homeguards Brahma Shankar Tripathi has reportedly been pressuring the headquarters for their postings in the two districts, the department has expressed inability to comply with the order.

A ROW has erupted in the Homeguards department over the posting of all 525 newly appointed Class Four employees in Kushinagar and Deoria districts. While the Minister for Homeguards Brahma Shankar Tripathi has reportedly been pressuring the headquarters for their postings in the two districts, the department has expressed inability to comply with the order. It has placed the minister at loggerheads with senior officers of the homeguards headquarters here.

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Highly placed sources told the ‘Hindustan Times’ on Thursday that 525 Class Four employees were recruited in several districts but most of the newly appointed employees even in districts like Moradabad, Meerut, Bulandshahr and other places were allegedly from Padrauna, Deoria and Kushinagar areas.

Sources alleged that after appointment, the minister had now been pressuring the headquarters to transfer all of them to Padrauna, Deoria and Kushinagar.

“This is just not possible”, commented a senior officer of the department. The district commandants had done these recruitments. However Azamgarh district commandant had been suspended for “not falling in line”.

A row has also ensued over the appointment of 49 clerks in the department. However, when contacted, the minister said there was no pressure to transfer these new employees.

Amid the ongoing tussle with officers, the minister today made a surprise inspection at headquarters and found most officers including DG VKB Nair and other employees absent. The minister said instructions had been issued for action against them.

The minister said there were complaints against officers at the headquarters.