'Accountability From Within...': Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora Amid Row Over Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar

Puja Khedkar was a 2023-batch IAS officer (File).

Mumbai:

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora has referred to as for “accountability from inside” the system for the nation’s paperwork, together with the Indian Administrative Service that’s the spine of home governance. Mr Deora’s feedback come amid outrage over the Puja Khedkar row.

A 2003-batch IAS officer, Ms Khedkar made headlines this week after it emerged she could have lied about struggling visible and psychological disabilities to safe a posting regardless of a low qualifying rating, after which wheedled officers into giving her perks not permitted for on-probation officers.

People in public service, Mr Deora mentioned, needed to be held accountable for his or her actions.

Politicians, he identified, had such a system – an election. “Many occasions we politicians are criticised, no matter which social gathering we belong to… and rightfully so, I welcome it. However please take note politicians nonetheless have a system of accountability. We get voted in and voted out…”

“In the end the general public has the power to throw us out of workplace.”

“However paperwork in India stays a largely unaccountable pressure… and making certain accountability from inside could be very important. Due to this fact, I say once more, authorities should take swift motion on this case.”

NDTV Explains | Who Is Puja Khedkar, What Is The Controversy Around Her

Mr Deora additionally demanded accountability from the judiciary.

“Once we speak of reforms and bettering governance… I consider politicians have that accountability however we’ve got to additionally speak about judicial and administrative (or paperwork) reforms. How, in truth, are we making these pillars of our democracy extra accountable? You’ll be able to’t simply say ‘we’re making politicians accountable’… however then the judiciary and paperwork haven’t any accountability.”

“Primarily based on the reviews I’ve learn it’s disturbing. I consider individuals who enter public service, bureaucrats or politicians and even these within the media, we’ve got to carry ourselves to a typical. We’ve got to ask ourselves why we’re in our chosen professions…” Mr Deora instructed NDTV.

He referred to the “lengthy legacy… (of) wonderful bureaucrats” from Maharashtra and mentioned he had, subsequently, been “very perturbed” to listen to of Ms Khedkar’s actions. “If that is the prevailing tradition, we should weed out it instantly,” Mr Deora mentioned, calling for a “by means of and neutral” inquiry.

“If these prices are discovered to be true… such officers should not be tolerated,” he mentioned, stressing the necessity to inculcate a “tradition of stable public service that’s citizen pleasant”.

READ | “Get It Done Before I Join…”: IAS Officer Puja Khedkar’s Messages

“We should do extra to make sure such folks do not find yourself in public service,” he mentioned, declaring these not match must be inspired to not enter the Civil Service. “The form of tradition we create is essential as a result of, to be very frank with you, it’s the bureaucrats who finally ship public providers.” 

Earlier at present Mr Deora additionally posted on X (previously Twitter) to voice his concern.

READ | “Those Lacking Merit, Ethics Not Fit…”: Sena MP On Trainee IAS Officer

“The allegations in opposition to IAS officer Pooja Khedkar are a critical reputational hazard to the service. Are you in authorities to serve or on account of a way of entitlement? I urge Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary to conduct a complete and neutral investigation into these allegations immediately,” he mentioned.

“Making certain justice and preserving public belief in our administrative service is essential. The UPSC (the Union Public Service Fee, the coaching organisation) is thought for producing high-caliber officers for public service. These missing benefit and ethics usually are not match to carry public workplaces,” he added.

A 2023-batch IAS officer, Ms Khedkar faces a number of prices. For the reason that allegations surfaced, she has been shunted out of her publish as an Assistant Collector in Pune to a supernumary place in Washim.

WATCH | Trainee IAS Officer’s First Chat With Media After Big Allegations

In her first interplay with the media because the allegations broke, Ms Khedkar mentioned she was “not authorised” to discuss the matter and that she is “pleased” to start her new function.

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