Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira writes to Punjab Governor over appointment of AAP minister Balkar Singh’s son at Kapurthala university

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, March 2

Punjab Local Bodies Minister and Kartarpur Aam Aadmi Party MLA Balkar Singh has once again courted controversy over appointment of his son Shishobitveer Singh in a government job.

The new controversy is regarding the appointment of his son as the manager of incubation centre at IK Gujral Punjab Technical University on contract basis, flouting various norms.

Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira has flagged the issue with Punjab Governor and Chancellor of the varsity Banwarilal Purohit seeking cancellation of the appointment and alleging that this was a case of conflict of interest of two ministers Harjot Bains, Technical Education Minister, and Balkar Singh, Local Bodies Minister.

Khaira has alleged that the university had no sanctioned post of the sort. “No advertisement was issued in newspaper. Just a walk-in-interview was called for October 5 which was put on the e-notice board of the university two days prior. No candidate other than Shishobitveer Singh came for the interview.

The decision to appoint minister’s son was made bypassing transparent selection process which was not only unethical but also undermined the principles of fairness and merit. There seems to be a blatant and apparent collusion between the minister and the Vice-Chancellor in making the appointment which raises concerns about the integrity of the university’s administration”, Khaira wrote in his letter to the Governor.

The Congress leader also attached the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directing IKGPTU to hold only regular basis and not on ad hoc basis to avoid any mess and ensure transparency in appointments in future.

Regarding the appointment, Balkar Singh said, “Unnecessary controversy is being raked out of my son’s appointment. It is just a contractual job for a duration of six months.”

The minister’s son is drawing a consolidated salary Rs 50,000 per month as per the e-notice. Sources in the varsity said that Shishobitveer had hardly attended his duty.

However, both Balkar as well as IKGPTU V-C Dr Susheel Mittal have said that he was regular at the campus.

Dr Mittal said that the varsity was making 100 contractual appointments every year and there was no illegality in such appointment. “It is just that he is minister’s son that allegations have started flying,” he said.