Friday, December 26, 2014

As Assam burned with violence, chief secretary Jitesh Khosla was spotted enjoying an elephant ride in Kaziranga

A TV grab of Khosla's elephant ride (poor photo quality)
ON TUESDAY, Assam witnessed one of the worst massacres of the recent time when armed NDFB(S) militants cowardly fired upon innocent villagers in three districts, killing 78 people including women and children. On Wednesday, the state chief secretary and 1979 batch IAS Jitesh Khosla was spotted while enjoying an elephant ride in Kaziranga. As Khosla’s leisure trip amid bloodshed in the state was televised in local news channels, state chief minister Tarun Gogoi was forced to say that he did not...
approve his chief secretary’s conduct. “He should have immediately come back (to Guwahati),” CM said in a press meet. The question arises how come the state’s top bureaucrat could continue with his holiday trip in the national sanctuary known for one-horned rhinos when such a major act of violence shook the entire nation and as many as 4,000 people were forced to leave their homes and take shelter in refugee camps.
An alumnus of IIT-Delhi, Khosla as joint secretary in corporate affairs ministry jointly received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration, 2007-08 for MCA21, an e-Governance project that detects corporate fraud. He was also a strong contender for the post of UTI chairman. He has a masters in social planning and policy from London School of Economics.
BoI does not want to undermine Khosla’s brilliance as an officer, but his conduct after the bloodshed on Tuesday has raised many uncomfortable questions. What lessons young officers will get when they witness such a conduct from their top boss? Will the people of the state feel safe during a crisis when they notice such an indifferent attitude of the state’s top bureaucrat? Mind it, prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday night itself tweeted saying that he had directed union home minister Rajnath Singh to go to Assam and take stock of the situation! How come the state chief secretary could consider that act of terror as just another small incident and continue with his pleasure trip?
Khosla is a close relative of Omita Paul, secretary to President of India, and is considered highly connected and powerful.

3 comments:

  1. his name was pushed hard by Amita Paul for UTI chairman but minority investors opposed this & they wanted some one with experience of industry and not a ias babu. Please stop being subservient to IAS

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  2. These IAS babus still think they are living in British India. Even after more than 60 years of independence, India is still suffering because of these IAS babus. Its high time the IAS is abolished and greater importance is given to specialists. This 'I Know All' service has outlived its utility. Modiji please think independently of the lies these IAS guys feed you everyday and you will be doing a great service to the nation.

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  3. @anonymous, on the same token it maybe argued that ministers should stop being subservient to the prime minister ...

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