‘Prize of honesty is humiliation’: IAS officer Ashok Khemka on 53rd transfer

Chandigarh: Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who has been transferred over 50 times, on Wednesday said the “reward for honesty is humiliation” as the Haryana government issued transfer order for 14 IAS officers, including him.

This is the 53rd transfer of Khemka, who is considered as an upright officer in the administrative circle. Khemka, who was Principal Secretary, Science and Technology, has now been shifted to the Archives, Archaeology and Museums Department in the same rank.

“Transferred again. Same thing again. Constitution Day was celebrated yesterday. Today, the orders and rules of the Supreme Court were violated yet again. Some will be pleased. After all, I have been pushed to final corner. Prize of honesty is humiliation,” Khemka said in a tweet in Hindi.

फिर तबादला। लौट कर फिर वहीं।
कल संविधान दिवस मनाया गया। आज सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के आदेश एवं नियमों को एक बार और तोड़ा गया। कुछ प्रसन्न होंगे।
अंतिम ठिकाने जो लगा। ईमानदारी का ईनाम जलालत।

— Ashok Khemka (@AshokKhemka_IAS) November 27, 2019

The 1991 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer had shot into limelight in 2012 when he cancelled the mutation of a land deal between Skylight Hospitality of Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi, and major real estate developer DLF.

According to the Haryana government officials, Khemka was posted as Principal Secretary, Science and Technology Department only in March this year from the Sports and Youth Affairs Department, where he spent 15 months.

This was the first major administrative reshuffle ordered by the Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janta Party government after it came to power about a month ago.

Among other changes, Sanjeev Kaushal, Additional Chief Secretary, Excise and Taxation, has been shifted to Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Cooperation Department.

Pranab Kishore Das, Additional Chief Secretary, Mines and Geology Department, goes to the Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department.

Alok Nigam, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department (Building and Roads) and Architecture, Forests and Wildlife Department, has been sent to the Forest and Wildlife Department and Medical Education and Research Department.

IANS