Haryana CM defends minister in woman IPS officer row

BJP MLAs led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday defended Health Minister Anil Vij in the Haryana Assembly as the Congress raked up the issue of the woman IPS officer Sangeeta Kalia, who paid the price for refusing to give in to the minsters get out order.

Speaking on the first day of the winter session of the Vidhan Sabha on Monday, Khattar said that transfer of the woman police officer was an administrative matter and should not be linked with caste or gender.

“There is a system to run an institution and everyone, be it the IAS/IPS officer or minister/MLA or any other, should abide by the system otherwise we would not be able to run our system smoothly,” he said.

Khattar said he had seen the video clipping of the incident and felt pained to see the argument. “The chairman being the head of the district public relations and grievances committee, his directions should be followed. The minister exhibited decency in the whole incident by walking out of the meeting,” he added.

Meanwhile, the central IPS association has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, said sources, adding that a day-long strike by the association to protest the incident is also being contemplated, even as the Haryana IPS association isn’t inclined towards such a move, it is learnt.

An association officer- bearer has sent out Whatsapp messages to members seeking their response on the subject, sources said. The association’s appointment with Modi will have to wait since the PM is currently in Paris.

Interestingly, whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka has supported Vij in the matter.
Vij during a meeting on Friday had publicly asked Kalia to get out midway through a meeting.

She refused, which infuriated the minister who walked out. The next day, Kalia was booted out. The government’s decision invited widespread criticism not only on the social media but also from opposition parties.