State Minister Takes Additional Deputy Commissioner to Task over Transfer Order

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The issue of transfer of an Additional Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills S Laloo due to alleged refusal to comply with certain string-pulling by an intimidating kin of a state Minister last week has once again been played down by another senior Minister. This time it’s the three times MLA and Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar telling The Sentinel on Monday that if the officer doesn’t know the government rules of postings, he should rather resign.

Last week, the Congress party pounced on the ruling front on the case where a reported threat by a minister’s kin of action on the ADC was accompanied by an immediate shuntout order. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had stated that the aggrieved officer should have lodged a complaint to the higher-ups or filed a first information report (FIR) with the police.

With focus on the three Ministers from Jaintia Hills on the allegations hurled by the Congress, Minister from Jaintia Hills, Sniawbhalang Dhar said, “ While transferring of officers is a normal routine, it is unfortunate that the officer prefers to use a political party to air his grouse.”

“If he (officer) does not know the rules of the government then he is not fit to be an officer, rather he should resigned immediately and pave the way for others,” stated Dhar.

Asked, if this is not sheer arrogance, the Minister stated, “If any officer who has been transferred starts to approach political parties for a redressal, it is an unfortunate trend that tantamount to disobeying the government order.”

“Transferring of officer is not that we are after them. Its normal and he should go,” stated Dhar while feigning ignorance on who could be the Minister’s kin who allegedly used expletives with the hurriedly transferred MCS officer.