Jat stir: Har govt shunts out Home Secy after Prakash committee report

Chandigarh, May 17: Haryana government today shunted out its Additional Chief Secretary (Home), four days after the Prakash Singh Committee report found "deliberate negligence" on part of 90 officials including IAS and IPS officers during the Jat quota agitation in February.

Senior IAS officer and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) P K Das has been relieved of the charge and replaced by another senior IAS officer Ram Niwas, an official spokesman said. Niwas, who was ACS (Irrigation), has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Jails, Criminal Investigation and Administration of Justice Departments, he said.

Around 90 officers including IAS and IPS officers were indicted for "deliberate negligence" during the Jat quota agitation by Prakash Singh Committee and adverse comments were made against them in its report submitted to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on May 13.

The Committee was appointed on February 25 to inquire into the alleged acts of omission and commission on part of officials of both police and civil administration during the agitation From February 7 to 22.

The committee had inquired into the role of officers starting from the rank of Sub-Inspector to SP in police and Naib Tehsildar or duty Magistrate to the rank of Deputy Commissioner in civil administration in the affected districts of Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind, Hisar, Kaithal, Bhiwani, Sonepat and Panipat.

After receiving the report, the Chief Minister had said the Government would examine it and take appropriate action at the earliest. Haryana government today also issued transfer and posting orders of five other IAS officers with immediate effect.

Shashi Bala Gulati, Additional Chief Secretary of Labour and Employment Department has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary of Women and Child Development Department in place of Dheera Khandelwal, who goes to Information, Public Relations and Languages Department relieving Sanjeev Kaushal of the charge.

Mahavir Singh has been given the additional charge of Principal Secretary of Housing Department relieving P Raghavendra Rao of the charge.

Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary, Environment Monitoring and Coordination Department, has been given additional charge of Principal Secretary, Irrigation Department and A K Singh, Principal Secretary of Technical Education Department and Inquiry Officer, Vigilance has also been given the additional charge of Principal Secretary, Labour and Employment Department in place of Shashi Bala Gulati, the spokesman said.

Haryana government had faced strong criticism following the eruption of violence and arson during Jat quota stir in February this year and about a month back appointed K P Singh as the new DGP of Haryana, removing Yashpal Singal from the post. 30 people were killed in violence and there was extensive damage to property during the stir.

PTI