POLITICAL INTERFERENCE MARS DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN BHARATPUR!

Jaipur: Increasing political interference has made it more difficult for Collectors to work in districts as the perpetual tussle and clashes between public representatives & personal interest of legislators along with groupism, has marred the Collectors. This situation is more prevalent and serious in districts like Bharatpur, Barmer, Alwar, Chittorgarh and Bundi.

The recent case is of Bharatpur, where a disturbing incident has occurred. a MLA from the district has furnished a breach of privilege motion in the state assembly against the Collector, complaining that the Collector didn’t reply to his letter. Now the Assembly Secretariat has issued a notice and asked the Collector to file a reply. The politico is MLA Nadbai, Joginder Awana and Collector is 2013 batch IAS Alok Ranjan. The matter pertains to encroachment of a land, belonging to one Puran of Unch village, by one Hetram. Puran had complained before Collector on June 8 and the officer immediately gave orders to SP and SDM to take action. The encroachment was removed while FIR was filed against 5 accused and one was arrested.

But MLA Awana is not too pleased with the action and on July 7, he wrote a letter to the Collector & sought a factual report from the official within three days. When the Collector didn’t reply, the MLA found it to be breach of his privilege and last week he even complaint regarding the Collector to Assembly Speaker. Now the Collector has furnished his explanation to Awana saying, “Your letter was sent to authorities for required action, but owing to the protest by saints against illegal mining and since law & order was affected due to this move, action couldn’t be taken on the matter immediately. Along with this, since the post of ADM is lying vacant, a delay was caused in sending the report. In the future, immediate action will be taken on your letters and reply would be given on time.”

Although the Collector has apologised, but the matter has taken a new turn. Another MLA from the district - Wajib Ali - has also opened a front against the Collector and has said that he supports Awana and will stage protest. Ali has accused the district administration of being BJP’s puppet. Truth be told, the BJP and district administration is not so much at tussle with each other as two MLAs of ruling party who are fighting through groups. Minister Vishvendra Singh has his own group while few Congress MLAs are standing with Awana. Appointing Awana as Chairman of Devnarayan Board hasn’t gone down well with other Congress MLAs and they have levelled allegations against Awana that he has encroached on land belonging to Dalits and running a monthly bond racket wherein, he takes money from contractors. But the important part is that in past 3 years, 5 Collectors have been changed in district. Vishvendra Singh got Arushi Malik removed after 9 months and it has merely been 6 months since Alok Ranjan took over the reins of Collectorate that the politicians are now after him too.