After INLD And Congress, It's BJP's Time To Harass Ashok Khemka

News Source: indianexpress, economictimes | Image Source: thekarmayogi

It is witnessed every now and then that the political parties involve in mud-slinging match but toe the same policies adopted by their predecessor vis-a-vis hounding of an honest bureaucrat is concerned.

Ashok Khemka is one such officer who is constantly used by one political party as per their convenience to attack another. He was supported by Congress when INLD was harassing him IN 2004, then INLD and BJP Supported him, when Congress was hounding him.

Truth has own way of emerging like radiant sun from behind dark clouds. Will hounding stop? http://t.co/zQI1xzDlzq http://t.co/90MDEklcOe

— Ashok Khemka, IAS (@AshokKhemka_IAS) September 23, 2015

The BJP, which had accused the Congress of targeting IAS officer Ashok Khemka before Vidhan Sabha polls in Haryana, now appears to be treading a similar path. While the BJP government in the state has ‘indicted’ Khemka for allegedly having committed procedural irregularities, during his tenure as the managing director of the Haryana State Warehouse Corporation (HSWC), documents and file notings accessed by The Indian Express reveal discrepancies that contradict the government’s stance.

In a report submitted to the Haryana Lokayukta Justice Pritam Pal (retd), the state government has accused Khemka of awarding work relating to the supply and installation of galvalume sheets (used for roofing) to Proflex Systems (a Gujarat-based company) for Rs 5.9 crore on April 23, 2010, though he had received his transfer orders on April 21, 2010. The sheets were to be used on godowns belonging to HSWC.

The documents, however, reveal that Khemka did not award the tender to Proflex Systems on April 23 but merely approved a “work enhancement” contract for the company at Rs 1,127 per square metre and that too on April 19, 2010. On April 23, 2010, the work enhancement offer was approved for the contractor by HSWC. On the agenda item pertaining to work enhancement, the board ruled it was competency of the MD. You can read the full report at indianexpress .

Additional chief secretary (Agriculture), Dhanpat Singh, however, said: “There were procedural irregularities which I mentioned in the report we sent to the Lokayukta. I have got nothing against Ashok Khemka. Whatever has been written in the report is authentic”.

How Ashok Khemka Was Used For Political Gains:
Khemka during his stint as the director of secondary education department in September 2004 had refused to entertain the transfers of teachers recommended by the chief minister’s office (CMO).

The recommendations were made by the CMO despite a blanket ban on teachers’ transfers.
Khemka not only had to face transfer within seven days of his appointment but also had to leave without an official car. It was Congress which had come out to ‘save’ the officer from INLD wrath in 2004 when OP Chautala was the chief minister.

As per The Economic Times, a Congress leader who did not want him to be identified had said that they were looking for an opportunity to target Chautala and Khemka had provided them the tool.

Kheka again got un-solicited support from the Congress after he had opposed the acquisition of Nathupur panchayat land worth crores of rupees in Gurgaon district by Chautala government for a private builder for a paltry sum.
It’s high time that the government let the honest officer work and stop using their honesty to meet political gains.