DC order telling officials to attend office triggers row

Tribune News Service

Ravi Dhaliwal

Pathankot, February 24

The Pathankot DC’s notification ordering all government employees to be present in their offices today despite it being Guru Ravidas Jayanti has triggered unrest among the one lakh strong community members.

Committed a mistake

Somebody from among my staff has committed a mistake. The hurting of religious sentiments of the community does not simply arise. Aditya Uppal, DC

The 647th ‘Parkash Purb’ celebrations of Guru Ravidas were celebrated today. However, DC Aditya Uppal ordered employees, through a written notification, to attend offices today. Even tomorrow, which is a Sunday, employees have to be present. Officials who had availed station leaves have been asked to report back. So much so, the order also says that employees, under no circumstances, will switch off their mobile phones while on duty.

This has ostensibly been done keeping in view the visit of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to the city tomorrow. He is expected to be joined by AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Likewise, the Pathankot Civil Surgeon has asked employees to be present on both the days.

Employees in heavy numbers turned up at all the 50-odd government departments today.

Uppal said his staff had committed an error and he had revoked the order. However, this decision has come too late because government offices showed full attendance today. “Somebody from among my staff has committed a mistake. The hurting of religious sentiments of the community does not simply arise,” he said.

“The damage has already been done. There are chances that employees will join duty even tomorrow despite the order being revoked,” said a trade union leader.

Leaders of the Ravidassia community have taken a strong exception. Teena Chowdhury, PPCC spokesperson and a leading member of the community, said followers of Guru Ravidas would be laying a siege to the DC office on Monday. “CMs have come on Saturdays and Sundays earlier as well. Officials have never been asked to be present in offices. The DC has no right to ask employees to stay on duty on a gazetted holiday until some extraordinary circumstances have emerged,” she said.

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