Officer’s transfer a welcome step, says BJP

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Fatehabad, November 28

IPS officer Sangeeta Kalia’s transfer from Fatehabad a day after she defied Health Minister Anil Vij, who ordered her to “get out” of a meeting, has not gone down well with officials here, though BJP workers are happy with the development.

“It is an unfortunate development and it will lower the morale of officers, particularly those from the police,” said a senior officer of the district administration. “The government should have given her an opportunity to clear her stand before transferring her,” said another.

The officers were peeved as the state government did not consider a letter they had sent to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar soon after the incident.

In the letter, officers had vouched for Kalia’s innocence and rather demanded action against the minister for “humiliating” the SP in the meeting.

Two senior women officers posted in neighbouring districts, too, termed the development “unfortunate” and raised concerns over the way a woman officer had been treated.

Bharat Bhushan Midha, district BJP president, however, said it was a welcome step of the government. “Since Anil Vij is the chairman of the District Grievances and Public Relations Committee in Fatehabad and he had declared he would not be part of the meeting till Kalia was there, the SP’s transfer is a wise step,” he said.

Parveen Jorra, district BJP vice-president, said transfer of officers was the prerogative of the government and it was the only solution to yesterday’s “unfortunate incident.”