M A I N   N E W S

PANCHKULA EPISODE: A TRIBUNE FOLLOW-UP
Mukul apologises, sent on leave
Bhagat Singh asked to submit report
Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

The decisions were taken after day-long explanations, meetings and deliberations had taken place. These were attended among others by those whose names figure in the episode, senior bureaucrats, police officers, members of the Council of Ministers, MLAs and other functionaries at the residence of the Chief Minister right from breakfast today.

The Chief Minister said he would take a decision on the officer to look after the work of the Principal Secretary, Industries, Excise and Taxation.

The Chief Secretary , Capt Amarinder Singh said, had also offered on his own to proceed on leave till a detailed report was submitted to him (Chief Minister). “I do not think that is necessary and have asked him to continue as I have full faith and confidence in his impartiality and objective disposition”.

Though the Chief Minister denied that there was any pressure from the Congress high command to take action in the matter, he admitted that a report in The Tribune prompted Mrs Mohsina Kidwai to ask him what was “happening in Punjab”. He said that she also referred to another Tribune story about a child being killed in police custody at Jalandhar.

Talking to newsmen at his residence, Capt Amarinder Singh said he not only heard all parties but also discussed the whole matter with members of his Council of Ministers and party legislators.

“All party leaders were vocal and wanted that action needed to be taken in the case,” he said, maintaining that though he was not sure about any conspiracy but certainly there have been “lots of coincidences”.

“The whole episode has been very unsavoury. But neither the government nor the party has anything to do with it. Mr Bhagat Singh has agreed to give a detailed report by going deeper into the whole thing. I also met the IAS Officers Association and others. Justice has to be done. The purpose of the report is to ascertain the correct position. It is not an inquiry but a report on the happening,” he said

The Chief Minister said both Ratras and Joshis had been friends for a long time. “Inviting Mrs Ratra over to discuss why Mr Ratra was so hard on him was something personal for Mr Joshi,” he added.

He refused to comment about whether there was any Haryana Government angle to the whole episode.

The final order read : “Mr Bhagat Singh, FCR, is hereby requested to look into the matter relating to the recent controversy in the Press regarding Mr Mukul Joshi, IAS, and submit a report to me within two weeks.”

“Mr Mukul Joshi, IAS, is hereby relieved of his present assignments and asked to proceed on earned leave till the submission of the report. His present assignments will be looked after by other officers in addition to their own duties till further orders,” said the order signed by the Chief Minister.

When he addressed newsmen at his residence shortly after 6 p.m., a number of senior officials, including civil and police officers, were still present. They included Mr Y.S. Ratra, Mr K.R. Lakhanpal, Mr B.R. Bajaj, Mr S.K. Sinha, Mr D.S. Jaspal, Mr Karam Singh and Mr S.S. Virk. Mr Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, too, was present.

The apology

“WITH reference to the incident on 20th January, 2003, I deeply regret the anguish that the attendant adverse publicity has caused. I had requested a meeting with Mrs Ratra but never expected that this action would snowball into a major controversy. I once again express my regrets,” wrote Mukul Joshi in his note of apology submitted to Mrs and Mr Y.S. Ratra.

Lobbying on for Mukul’s posts
Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Chandigarh, January 24
With Mr Mukul Joshi proceeding on earned leave from today because of the Panchkula episode, intense lobbying has started among top echelons of the Punjab bureaucracy to secure posting as administrative secretaries of the Industry, Excise and Taxation Departments, respectively.

Both departments are considered most prestigious in the state. Mr Mukul Joshi has been heading both these departments as Principal Secretary. And that was why he used to be considered most powerful bureaucrat after Mr S.K. Sinha, who besides, being the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, also heads the Department of the Home and Vigilance Bureau, which in earlier years used to be with the Chief Secretary. Mr Joshi, who is said to be very close to the Chief Minister, has been one of the key players in running the affairs of the state.

Next two months are very important for the Excise and Taxation Department. State's excise policy is to be finalised in the next three weeks before the start of the auction of the liquor shops in March. Liquor business is very important for the state government as it earns a major part of its revenue from the auction of liquor shops. In fact, Punjab's economy is partially liquor based economy and it requires a careful handling. Any loose ends in the liquor policy, could have an effect on revenue.

Moreover, liquor lobbies try hard to get the policy “bended” to serve their interests. Because of this reason, the Chief Minister can't afford to keep the slot of Administrative Secretary of this department vacant for too long. He will have to appoint a new Administrative Secretary.

In spite of ongoing lobbying, it is most likely that, Capt Amarinder Singh, might opt to give the charge of the Excise and Taxation Department to the Chief Secretary, Mr Y.S. Ratra, who is an expert as far as the handling of the liquor business is concerned. In fact, last year also the auctions of liquor shops were held under the direct supervision of Mr Ratra and he had ensured an increase of Rs 100 crore in the revenue over the previous year from the auction. Even during the SAD-BJP Government, Mr Ratra headed this department as its Administrative Secretary for quite long.

Likewise, the slot of the Administrative Secretary of the Industry will also have to be filled. The finalisation of the state's industrial policy is hanging fire for the past few months. The industrial policy was put on the agenda of the meeting of the Council of Ministers last month but it was not passed as certain ministers told the Chief Minister that they wanted to read it thoroughly before its clearance. Later, another meeting was fixed to pass it but that meeting did not take place. At last, the Chief Minister handed over the policy to a Cabinet sub committee for further finetuning it after consulting all concerned especially the elected representatives of people from the border region.

The committee has reportedly taken up its job and likely to finalise it soon. But the committee will also need the assistance of the Administrative Secretary of the Industry Department while improving upon the various aspects of the policy. In fact, Punjab's industrial policy is being keenly awaited by industrialists and others concerned. It has already been delayed for too long.

Workers protest against Joshi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 24
Employees of various corporations of Punjab, held a protest rally here today, demanding a judicial probe into the Panchkula episode. Mr Mukul Joshi, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce and Excise and Taxation, has been in the news for the past few days for his alleged involvement in the Panchkula episode.

The employees held a protest rally this afternoon, demanding a judicial probe into the cases of one-time settlement of loan defaulters, misuse of official/PSIDC vehicles and Mr Joshi’s alleged involvement in the Panchkula episode. A delegation of the employees later went to the Raj Bhavan and the Punjab Chief Minister’s residence to hand over a memorandum.

Addressing the rally, Mr A.K. Sharma, vice-president of the PSIDC Employees Union, alleged that Mr Joshi had connived with big industrial groups for getting blanket tax exemptions’ to companies like Shriram Industrial Enterprise, Abhishek Spinfab, Rama Group, Gujarat Ambuja and Grasim Industries.

The general secretary of the union, Mr Jarnail Singh, highlighted a case that had resulted in a loss of Rs 8 crore to the institution. During his tenure as Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, loans amounting to Rs 3.91 crore, in addition to Rs 4.12 crore as interest, of Brahma Styer Tractors Limited had been converted into equity, he added.