: The transfer of errant IAS couple Sanjeev Khirwar and Rinku Dugga to Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh has raised a “dumping ground” storm on social media.
The Centre had on Thursday shunted the duo – both 1994-batch IAS officers of the AGMUT cadre – out of Delhi after they had allegedly forced athletes at the Thyagraj Stadium to wind up their training early in order to take their dog for a daily evening walk.
AGMUT expands to Arunachal, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories.
But the transfer of Mr. Khirwar to Ladakh and Ms. Dugga to Arunachal Pradesh has not gone down well. Many took to Twitter and other social media platforms to ask if the Centre viewed the northernmost and the north-easternmost parts of India as dumping grounds for errant bureaucrats.
“Why shame Arunachal by transferring errant Delhi bureaucrat there? Why pay lip service to North East & then treat area like a dump for your rubbish, MHA?” Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra tweeted, asking Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju to protest.
Mr Rijiju is an MP from Arunachal Pradesh.
“So Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh is considered a punishment posting by many! I think it’s a beautiful place. Mindset’s will never change - Northeast is also considered as a punishment or retirement posting for ageing politician as governors,” Tripura’s Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, the chairman of Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance wrote.
Blames metro Indian mindset
“Mainland Indian media celebrating transfer of two IAS officers to #Arunachal and #Ladakh from Delhi for walking their dog after stadium closing time is what metro media is all about. Furthering the deep prejudice against border states and inability to ask valid questions,” Tongam Rina, the deputy editor of The Arunachal Times wrote.
“This transfer is being celebrated because people still view NE India as ‘jungle’, ‘extreme’, remote places where people should go only for punishment. Delhi’s discarded get space in Arunachal,” said Assam-based social activist Manoranjan Pegu.
Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister and vice-president of Jammu Kashmir National Conference, Omar Abdullah resented the reference to Ladakh as a place for “punishment posting”.
“For one, it’s a beautiful place with very hospitable people & some stunning places to visit and secondly it’s demoralising for the people there to be given the impression that officers only get sent as a punishment,” he tweeted.
“And I’m sure the same applies to Arunachal, even though I’ve never visited the area,” he added.
