Government employees write to EC, slam Khattar over bogus voting claims

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, May 30

A tussle seems to be simmering between government employees and the ruling party over the allegations levelled by former CM Manohar Lal Khattar that a section of employees was biased and indulged in bogus polling.

Taking exception to Khattar’s warning to employees, Vijender Dhariwal, employees’ leader and state president of the Pension Bahali Sangharsh Samiti, Haryana, said there was a lot of anger among the employees and officers due to the “threat” by Khattar, the BJP candidate from Karnal.

BJP had huge network of workers on duty

This is for the first time that the government is blaming the employees for being biased in the electoral process. How is it possible when the ruling party has a huge network of workers on duty? —Dr SS Chahar, Former director, Centre for Haryana studies

Sarv Karamchari Sangh (SKS) state president Dharamvir Singh also criticised Khattar, stating that during his stint as CM, he never listened to the issues raised by the employees. “Employees are upset with the government due to the negative attitude of the former CM. He never called employees unions for talks, except the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS),” he claimed, adding that employees also had the power to exercise their franchise.

In a letter to the ECI, Dhariwal alleged that Khattar had threatened to “see” them after June 4. “This amounts to violation of the model code of conduct. The employees have always worked honestly to conduct the election process without any pressure and bias. No complaint was received at any booth,” the letter stated.

He said in the past over nine years, the BJP government led by Khattar had resorted to a lathicharge, and firing of tear gas shells at employees, farmers, labourers, Asha workers, anganwadi workers, sarpanches, and unemployed youth for raising their demands in a democratic way.

He claimed that the impact of the dictatorial attitude of the Khattar government and failure to keep promises was quite visible. Khattar had stated that a section of employees had not played a fair role during polling. “We have reports that they were acting at the behest of the Congress and influencing the polling, which is an impediment in the conduct of free and fair elections,” he said. He had maintained that they were preparing a list of such employees and would take action against them after June 4.