The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday condemned what it claimed was the тАЬpurge of Punjab cadre officers in the union territory administrationтАЭ. The party claimed that the ongoing discrimination was тАЬin line with ongoing efforts to dilute PunjabтАЩs right over ChandigarhтАЭ.
The SAD expressed shock that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had тАЬfailed to protest against the discrimination meted out to Punjab cadre officersтАЭ.
In a written statement released on Friday, senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, тАЬIt is shocking that Punjab cadre officers have been removed from all important posts and replaced with Haryana cadre officers in the latest transfers affected by the Union Territory AdministratorтАЭ.
Cheema further said, тАЬThe transfers, besides being discriminatory to the Punjab cadre officers, reflected a bias at a time when there was a widespread demand from Punjabis that Chandigarh be transferred to Punjab.тАЭ
The SAD leader went on to add, тАЬThese transfers are in clear violation of the spirit of Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 and undermine the status and morale of Punjab officers.тАЭ He requested Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit to тАЬrescind the orders and follow past conventions with regard to posting of Punjab and Haryana officers to maintain parity between themтАЭ.
Giving details, Cheema said, тАЬMany Punjab officers were shunted out of important departments like the Chandigarh Estate Office, where a Haryana cadre officer was made the Assistant Estate Officer. This is the first time that Haryana cadre officers are functioning as the Assistant Estate Officer and Estate Officer (Deputy Commissioner).тАЭ
He added, тАЬsimilarly the Punjab officer posted as the Joint Excise and Taxation Commissioner has been replaced by a Haryana cadre officer. The excise department also now has only Haryana officers at the helm with the Deputy Commissioner, a Haryana cadre officer, functioning as the Excise and Taxation Commissioner.тАЭ
Asserting that the systematic removal of Punjab cadre officers from all important posts in the UT administration was not appropriate, Cheema requested the UT Administrator to ensure that the issue of postings and transfers in Chandigarh was not politicised.
The Akali leader also castigated CM Bhagwant Mann for тАЬnot protesting against this moveтАЭ, saying taht тАЬthe chief ministerтАЩs refusal to protect the interests of Punjab in the Chandigarh administration has harmed the interests of the state already and the latest move will sideline PunjabтАЩs interests furtherтАЭ.
He cited the instance of Bhagwant Mann failing to protest against the Haryana governmentтАЩs proposal to acquire land for a separate Vidhan Sabha building in the UT.
Cheema stated, тАЬThe chief minister should immediately demand that all posts in the UT Administration be filled in the 60:40 ratio between Punjab and Haryana and ensure officers of AGMUT cadre were not given posts, which are traditionally held by Punjab cadre officers.тАЭ
He also asserted that тАЬthe strength of IAS officers from the AGMUT cadre should not be increased to undermine PunjabтАЩs right over Chandigarh.тАЭ
