A day after his transfer, whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka on Monday said, “The transfer is fine but I feel as if a crash landing has happened.”
“I can not comment on it (transfer) as this is under Government’s jurisdiction. Personally I feel as if a crash landing has happened, but I will overcome this. I will work in the new department with full energy,” he said while talking to a section of media here on Monday.
Khemka will now serve as the Principal Secretary in Youth Affairs and Sports Department in Haryana Government. He was transferred on Sunday and had earlier held the charge of Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment Department.
Earlier, following the transfer on Sunday , Khemka took to Twitter and said, “So much work planned. News of another transfer. Crash landing again. Vested interests win. Deja vu. But this is temporary. Will continue with renewed vigour and energy.”
Khemka had hit national headlines in October 2012 when he cancelled the mutation of a Rs 58-crore land deal between Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and realty giant DlF and ordered a probe into controversial land deals in Haryana.
In a career spanning more than 20 years, the 1991 batch IAS officer has been transferred more than 50 times. This time Khemka, known for his honesty and integrity, has been transferred to the Sports Department headed by Health Minister Anil Vij.
Vij, meanwhile, has welcomed the appointment of Khemka in Sports Department.
Talking to the mediapersons here, the Minister said, “I feel that an officer should not be transferred before completion of two years tenure in a Department so that he can work well there. But, transfer issue is Chief Minister’s prerogative and he must have done this after careful consideration.”