Image Source: Public TV
Kalaburagi: The state government on Tuesday, issued a transfer order to Kalaburagi district Deputy Commissioner Sharat B, only to rescind the same hours later.
Reportedly, DC Sharat, a 2011 batch IAS officer, received the transfer orders on Tuesday, April 28 morning. Hours later, he received a call from Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa himself, who told him that the transfer orders were being cancelled.
According to a Kannada TV channel, the CM even reportedly told the DC that he was doing a good job and asked him to continue his work in his current capacity.
It can be noted that the Kalaburagi district has been the worst-hit by COVID-19 in the state. The district has seen 44 cases and five deaths so far. Sharat’s transfer orders raised some doubts as the district is currently in the middle of a fierce battle with COVID-19.
According to a report by DH, the order stated that DC Sharat was being transferred as the executive director of the Karnataka Examinations Authority, in place of Suralkar Vikas Kishor, who would, in turn, take Sharat’s place as Kalaburagi DC.
The Opposition took up the issue and criticised the state government claiming that the move was an attempt to make Sharat a “scapegoat”, DH report.
Criticising the move, Congress leader Priyank Kharge tweeted, “Kalaburagi has become a theatre of absurd. Govt changes DC at the peak of #CoronaPandemic & then withdraws it in a couple of hours. Looks like Govt isn’t too serious about the crisis here. Why this flip flop? It affects the morale of the officers at the district/taluk level.[sic]”
He said that transferring the DC “at this time of crisis will be demoralising & will send the wrong signal”. Acknowledging that the district administration needs to do more in the fight against COVID-19, he said that “Knee jerk reactions will not help” and that the government should “concentrate on real solutions”.
Requested CMO that transferring DC at this time of crisis will be demoralizing & will send a wrong signal. Although more needs to be done to fight #Corona, but this is definitely not the solution. Knee jerk reactions will not help. Govt should concentrate on real solutions
— Priyank Kharge / ????????? ????? (@PriyankKharge) April 28, 2020
After the transfer order was rescinded, Kharge lashed out at the government again tweeting, “Mystery transfer & stay order of Kalaburagi DC deepens.BJP MP & MLAs claim that someone misinformed @BSYBJP sir about DC. Who was it?Why didn’t CM take opinion of BJP MLAs before taking a decision about DC? Is there anything more important than fighting Corona today? Shameful![sic]”
DH reported that, according to sources, the state government cancelled the DC’s transfer orders after it learned that the latter might move the Karnataka/Central Administrative Tribunal challenging the move.
