Chandigarh, Sep 13: The Haryana government on Tuesday shifted additional chief secretary (tourism) Virender Kundu as ACS (science and technology), a relatively low-key department. The move has fuelled speculation that the transfer could be result of Kundu standing up against Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, whose son allegedly stalked Kundu’s daughter Varnika in Chandigarh recently.
Vikas Barala, the 23-year-old son of Subhash Barala, and his friend Ashish Kumar, 27, were arrested for stalking Varnika, who is a city-based DJ.
Reacting to Kundu’s transfer, senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted that the officer has been “punished for standing up to BJP in quest for justice for his daughter, Varnika Kundu?”
Apart from Kundu, the Haryana government shifted out ACS (home) Ram Niwas, replacing him with ACS (food and supplies) Shyam Sunder Prasad.
The shifting of Niwas comes as a surprise, particularly since chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had recently expressed satisfaction over the administrative and police measures taken to ensure the appearance of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh before a CBI court in Panchkula on August 25.
Violence and arson broke out after the Dera head was convicted by the CBI court for raping two of his female disciples. Over 38 persons were killed in the violence. If the handling of the issue is the reason behind Niwas’s shifting, one can expect heads to roll in the police department as well.
Jyoti Arora, awaiting posting orders, has been posted as principal secretary (higher education) vice Mahavir Singh, who goes as principal secretary (labour).
Source Hindustan Times
