Bengaluru: The appointment of Dr. Rajneesh Goel as Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sparked debates due to concerns about his previous actions. As the former Additional Chief Secretary (Home Department), Dr. Goel has faced criticism for allegedly neglecting to take legal action in significant cases during the BJP government's tenure. These cases include the PSI scam, allegations of 40% commission in the Public Works Department (PWD), hate speeches inciting communal violence, and remarks urging violence against Siddaramaiah, likening him to Tipu Sultan.
N Jayaram, who served as Secretary of the Revenue Department, has also faced scrutiny for granting gomala land illegally to the Sangh Parivar's Rashtrothana Parishat and Jana Seva Trust. Several locations, including Haveri, Kalaburagi, Chikkamagaluru, and Mysuru, were involved in these questionable land grants. Despite these allegations, Jayaram has been appointed as Secretary to the Chief Minister, raising concerns about the fairness of the appointment process in the new government.
The lack of officers from minority communities in the Chief Minister's office has drawn attention, despite the significant contribution of minority community votes to the Congress party's victory in the recent elections. Critics highlight the absence of representation and demand the appointment of eligible Muslim or Christian officers. Concerns are also being raised about appointment of officers from Kuruba Community to which Chief Minister belongs, as Joint Secretaries and Officers on Special duty.
The objection to Dr. Goel's appointment stems from criminal cases filed against numerous activists associated with the BJP and Hindutva organizations like the Bajrang Dal. Although the cases were pending in court, Dr. Goel submitted a file to the Cabinet advocating for the withdrawal of these cases. Moreover, Dr. Goel's office refused to provide information regarding the withdrawal of cases against the PFI and the SDPI activists, despite Siddaramaiah's inquiry during his time as Leader of the Opposition. Additionally, Dr. Goel did not instruct to take action against Minister Dr. Ashwath Narayan, who made provocative statements inciting violence against Siddaramaiah.
During a joint meeting with top police officials, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, concerns were raised about the Police Department's failure to address hate speeches and incitements to violence against Siddaramaiah, resulting in societal turmoil and unrest. The meeting also highlighted the issue of police officers harassing Priyank Kharge, who exposed documents related to the PSI scam. Dr. Goel, in his capacity as Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, attended the meeting. The lack of opposition to Dr. Goel's appointment despite these controversies has become a subject of discussion. Siddaramaiah had previously accused the Police Department of corruption in officer transfers and delays in obtaining statements from ADGP Amrit Paul, who was suspected of involvement in the PSI scam. However, as Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, Dr. Goel did not take any action in response to these allegations.
The appointment of N Jayaram, who served as Secretary of the Revenue Department under the BJP government, as Secretary to the Chief Minister has garnered mixed responses from officers. During Jayaram's tenure, illegal grants of gomala land were made to the Sangh Parivar's Jana Seva Trust and the Rashtrothana Parishat. The Jana Seva Trust was granted 35 acres of land at a 5% rate, resulting in a loss of over Rs. 139 crores for the government. Siddaramaiah, who previously expressed ideological differences with the preceding BJP government, has now appointed an officer involved in granting fertile land illegally to Sangh Parivar-affiliated organizations as his secretary, leading to further discussions and debates.
In summary, the appointment of Dr. Rajneesh Goel as Additional Chief Secretary, the appointment of N Jayaram as Secretary to the Chief Minister, and the lack of representation from minority communities in the Chief Minister's office have raised concerns and sparked debates.
About 90 per cent of the Muslims and Christians have voted for the Congress in this year’s elections and have played a major role in getting the Congress to power in the state. There are many eligible and capable officers who are either Muslims or Christians. Questions are now being raised on the sidelining of such officers for appointment to the posts in the Chief Minister’s office. The Chief Minister should pay attention to the matter immediately and appoint eligible Muslim or Christian officers, demanded Ida Margaret, General Secretary of the Indian Christian United Forum.
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Mumbai, Jan 10: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said it was the responsibility of the Congress to keep the INDIA bloc intact as it was the largest party in the opposition alliance.
Raut's statement came in the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's remarks expressing dismay over the lack of clarity on INDIA bloc leadership and agenda, and saying the alliance should be wound up if it was meant only for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
"If the alliance partners feel the INDIA bloc was only for the Lok Sabha polls and doesn't exist now, the Congress is to be blamed (for this situation). There has been no communication, dialogue (among constituents). We fought the Lok Sabha elections (together) and got good results. There should have been a meeting (of INDIA) to chalk out future plans and it was the Congress' responsibility to take initiative in this regard," he asserted.
Lack of communication among partners in the anti-BJP grouping is giving an impression that all is not well in the bloc which has more than two dozen parties, emphasised the Rajya Sabha MP.
"There is no communication, dialogue, discussion (among allies). This means there is confusion in the minds of all whether every thing is fine within the alliance," he noted.
Raut warned that if the alliance, which took shape before the 2024 parliamentary polls, breaks, it cannot be revived.
"If the alliance was only for the Lok Sabha polls, then declare the INDIA bloc doesn't exist anymore. (In that case), all the allies are free to chose their own path," the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader maintained.
"The INDIA bloc was formed for the Lok Sabha polls. But the Congress should take responsibility to keep everyone together. We need to correct past mistakes. Dissolving the opposition grouping will be an extreme step," Raut cautioned.
Raut said even at the time of Maharashtra assembly polls in November last year, the Congress central leadership did not intervene when its state unit was driving hard bargaining during seat-sharing talks.
"There were several assembly seats where the NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) had good candidates, but the Congress did not give up claim on those seats. Instead of one-upmanship, we could have carefully concluded seat-sharing deal as a united MVA," he said.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a state-level alliance of opposition parties, consists of the NCP (SP), the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress. The MVA performed poorly in the November assembly polls winning just 46 seats in the 288-member House.
Raut emphasised that like the INDIA alliance at the national level, there was no coordination among the MVA constituents as well in Maharashtra.
The Rajya Sabha member clarified he does not agree with some Congress leaders calling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal "anti-national".
The Congress or the BJP will not win the February 5 assembly polls in Delhi. It will be the ruling AAP that will emerge victorious, he claimed.
The Congress and the AAP, both INDIA bloc members, are contesting the Delhi polls separately.
"It would have bee good if the AAP and the Congress were together it would have been good. We are in a dilemma ...both parties (Congress and AAP) needed to maintain balance. We have not yet finalized our stand on the Delhi polls," he said.
Maharashtra Congress leader Nitin Raut said MVA allies squabbled over CM post before polls and took a lot of time to finalize seat-sharing in the state for the November polls.
"We ignored organisational planning (after Lok Sabha polls) and preparation for (Maharashtra) assembly polls," he said.
Another Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar agreed with Nitin Raut and wondered if there was a conspiracy to delay the seat-sharing talks among the MVA partners.
"We wasted 20 days and lost crucial time for campaigning. Nana Patole (state Congress chief) and Sanjay Raut were the main leaders (involved in seat-sharing). We were also there. Leaders didn't come on time for talks and time was wasted," he said.
NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad agreed there was a lack of coordination in the MVA.
"Wadettiwar has retained his bungalow he got as the then Leader of Opposition (in last assembly). Call a meeting. I will come ..let's discuss within ourselves rather than speaking in the media," Awhad said.
Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said Wadettiwar was very much part of the seat-sharing talks. "The Congress could have let go some seats where the allies had good candidates," Sanjay Raut said.
Talking to reporters in Jammu on Thursday, Omar Abdullah said the AAP, the Congress, and other political parties on the ground will decide how to effectively compete with the BJP.
"After the assembly elections in Delhi, they should call all the alliance members for a meeting. If this alliance (INDIA) was only for the parliamentary elections, it should be wound up, and we will work separately. But if it is meant for assembly elections as well, we will have to sit together and work collectively," the CM said.
The National Conference (NC) leader, whose party is a member of the national-level opposition grouping, was replying to a question about an RJD leader's statement that the INDIA bloc was meant only for Lok Sabha elections.
However, Omar Abdullah's father Farooq Abdullah, who heads the NC, took a different stand and asserted the INDIA bloc was a permanent political entity.