J&K leaders demand probe after Dalit IAS officer alleges harassment for flagging irregularities

Opposition leaders in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday demanded an investigation after a Dalit government officer alleged that he was being harassed by the Union Territory administration for flagging irregularities in a drinking water scheme.

Ashok Parmar, an Indian Administrative Services officer of the principal secretary rank, has been transferred on five occasions in the last one year. He has filed a complaint with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, NDTV reported.

In his complaint, Parmar said that he had been posted as principal secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Jal Shakti Department in May 2022. During his tenure, he had pointed out that the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission drinking water scheme was slow because of “erroneous and faulty procedure”, The Tribune reported.

The allotment of works was being done by misinterpreting a clause that allowed a contractor to be awarded only two works at a time, Parmar claimed in his complaint.

“[Lieutenant Governor] Manoj Sinha threw me out of the meeting room on June 6, 2022, to harass and humiliate me without my fault,” he alleged.

He also claimed that within months of him flagging the alleged irregularities, he was transferred to the Department of Administrative Reforms, Inspection and Trainings. Soon after, he was shunted out...

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