In major reshuffle, six officers shifted

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14

Effecting the first major shake-up after the recent completion of a “lacklustre” one year, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, asserting himself and his “perform or perish” agenda, chose 1988-batch officer RK Khullar to replace Sanjeev Kaushal as his Principal Secretary. Five more officers were transferred today.

To convey that nobody in the bureaucracy is a “holy cow” in the “cow-sensitive” BJP regime, Khattar, by moving Kaushal out of the CM office, has conveyed his displeasure over the way his office was being run. Kaushal has been posted as the Additional Chief Secretary, Finance and Public Relations.

Sources said Kaushal, a status-quoist who resisted change, allegedly lacked teamwork and operated within his coterie instead of taking everybody along. Considered “overbearing” by colleagues, his critics pointed out aggressiveness did not translate into his working despite the fact that was considered a sharp officer.

Also, the Chief Minister is learnt to have been unhappy over the tardy progress of government initiatives in the course of one year. To add to this, ministers, MLAs, the RSS and BJP leaders had reportedly complained to Khattar about the lack of cooperation from his “hand-picked” officers.

Sources added Kaushal was removed for failing to live up to Khattar’s expectations in giving a push to the working of an “inexperienced” government. This left the government with little to showcase as its one-year achievements, leading to Kaushal’s undoing.

The government, on the lookout for a “sacrificial lamb” after its poor performance in the first year of government, found a “suitable boy” in Khullar. Kaushal’s removal will change existing equations in the CM office as also the bureaucracy because he was seen as “protecting”.

Khullar, who was posted as special PSCM, has moved up the ladder and will now be Khattar’s PSCM. Ever since he returned to Haryana from the central deputation in February, he was being seen as a “threat” to Kaushal. Never out of reckoning for the post of the PSCM despite being adjusted the special PSCM, Khullar gradually made it to the post he was always “expected” by his colleagues to occupy.

In moving out Additional Chief Secretary, PK Mahapatra, from the Home Department where he “failed” in keeping tabs on the rising caste and communal crimes and pushing progressive ideas and posting him as Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Khattar has killed two birds with one stone.

He will be replaced by PK Das, a “stronger and more grounded officer”, who has been posted the Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Jails, Criminal Investigation and Administration of Justice, while Mahapatra’s transfer to the Health Department is likely to “frustrate” Health Minister Anil Vij further.

This is especially since Vij is an activist minister who is always on the go, while Mahapatra, who replaces RR Jowel, is known to take his own time dealing with issues. This was one big grudge the government had against him while he was heading the Home Department and moved him out for “non-performance”.

Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture, Dhanpat Singh, has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Science and Technology, relieving Sumita Misra of the charge. He has been replaced by Varinder Singh Kundu, Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Fisheries, who has been given the department in addition to his present duties.

Sources said once Haryana-cadre officer Rajni Sekri Sibal comes back to Haryana from central deputation, more transfers will be effected.