New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday asserted that the Centre’s ordinance with regard to transfers and postings of officers in Delhi was introduced to make sure ‘transparency and accountability’. Senior BJP chief Ravi Shankar Prasad talking at a press convention right here mentioned, the Supreme Court had cited absence of any explicit legislation with regard to the administration in Delhi, below schedule 2 of Constitution. “We had to bring in the ordinance because within a few days of the Supreme Court judgement, the Delhi government began flexing its muscles. It transferred 2010 batch IAS officer Y K Rajashekhar, who was probing the irregularities in the Sheesh Mahal,” he mentioned. The allusion was to the large expenditure for renovation of the official residence of the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He identified that in line with the ordinance, the committee which can now advocate such transfers and postings will nonetheless be chaired by the Delhi chief minister.
“Delhi is the heart of India. The entire country has a claim over it as its capital, which is frequently visited by dignitaries from the world over. We therefore needed a system in place which could ensure transparency and accountability in transfers and postings,” Prasad mentioned. The former union minister for legislation and justice mentioned Rajashekhar was additionally probing alleged irregularities within the Delhi Jal Board. “Not only has he been transferred, but a case has also been lodged against him on false allegations levelled by an NGO,” he mentioned.
Prasad additionally raked up the alleged intimidation of two dalit IAS officers, together with companies secretary Ashish More, who has written to the Delhi chief secretary and lieutenant governor complaining in opposition to minister Saurabh Bharadwaj. “It was, therefore, necessary to bring about the ordinance which would ensure transparency and accountability in transfer and posting of officers and also protect the upright ones,” Prasad mentioned.
Replying to a question about scrapping of Rs 2000 forex notes, Prasad mentioned “the RBI has put out a detailed communication clearly explaining how the use of these high denomination notes was dwindling. We would like to remind our Congress friends that even during the rule of Manmohan Singh, old currency notes used to be taken off circulation. “Hence they (Congress) should not name it notebandi,” he added.
He additionally remarked, “If these notes were in use for laundering money, scrapping these will hit such networks.” About the swearing-in ceremony of the brand new cupboard in Karnataka, which was attended by varied non-Congress leaders, together with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the BJP chief mentioned “the chief ministers of Odisha, West Bengal and Telangana have chosen to skip the event. It is clear that opposition unity is a pipe dream”.
He additionally scoffed at Kumar’s slip of tongue earlier within the week when he had addressed considered one of his principal secretaries as ‘Pradhan mantri ke pradhan sachiv’. “There is no bar on daydreaming. But, of course, there is no vacancy for the PM’s post in 2024,” Prasad mentioned.
