Jammu, 29.08.23: All India Confederation of SC/ST/OBC Organisations J&K, held a press conference today at Jammu. RK Kalsotra, State President Confederation flanked by Dr Ramesh Kaith, Suraj Parkash, and Mohinder Kumar, said that a senior IAS Officer (AGMUT 1992) Ashok Kumar Parmar, Chairman Bureau of Public Enterprises, Govt. of J&K has lodged a complaint to the Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes(NCSC), New Delhi against LG of J&K UT Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary J&K Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta alleging harassment, humiliation, intimidation, atrocious behaviour and frequent transfers for his being a Scheduled Caste solely for the reason that he blew the whistle and highlighted bunglings in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission of Jal Shakti Deptt. in J&K.
In his comprehensive complaint dated August 17, 2023, the Gujrat based IAS Officer has made startling revelations that LG of J&K Manoj Sinha on 6th June 2022 had thrown him out of the meeting room with the objective to harass and humiliate him without any fault and this was done in front of all the Administrative Secretaries of UT of J&K. It is also alleged that the Chief Secretary of J&K Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta on July 25, 2023 had also humiliated and thrown him out of the meeting of Committee of Secretaries without any fault and he has been subjected to frequent transfers in violation of the transfer policy of the Govt. of India. It is further alleged that this process of intimidation/harassment was done purposely due to prejudice and bias against him for being a Scheduled Caste and his act of highlighting bunglings in Jal Jeevan Mission.
The Senior IAS Officer in his complaint has further alleged that he intimated LG of J&K UT Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Dr. A.K. Mehta and Advisor to LG R. R. Bhatnagar about dismal status of implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission vide his letter dated 20th July, 2022 that Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented in J&K without doing SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis and pointed out in the meeting dated 02-08-2022 that works an account of JJM is slow because of erroneous and faulty procedure for allotment for works by misinterpreting faulty procedure for allotment for works by misinterpreting the clause 4.5.2 of Manual of Procurement of Works, 2019 that one contractor can be awarded only 2 works at a time and DG Code confirmed that this clause is only valid for petty works to promote Startups and is not applicable to general works/tenders.
It is further alleged in the complaint that the complainant being a SC IAS Officer has apprehensions that LG J&K and Chief Secretary J&K might go to any extent to damage his reputation and career by implicating in false cases as he had pointed out many financial irregularities and acts of ommission and commission of Dr. A.K. Mehta, Chief Secretary J&K, R. R. Bhatnagar Advisor to LG J&K & Others in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission.
Kalsotra said that there a complaint like this has hurt the sentiment of the dalit and general public at large. Thus, we would like to bring to the attention of Smt Draupadi Murmu Hon’ble President of India & Sh Narandra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, National Chairman National Commission for Scheduled Caste that the case should be expedited within a set time period and justice delivery should be done immediately so that “Dood ka Dood and Pani ka Pani ho”.