The AAP Government has issued a show-cause notice to its 181 helpline head Khadija Farooqui to explain why she had not been maintaining her biometric attendance regularly and also attending to her day-to-day affairs in the national Capital.
The helpline, set up by the then Sheila Dikshit Government after December 16, 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape incident to help women in distress, has been in news ever since the AAP Government took over in Delhi in February last year.
During the previous Congress tenure, the helpline was under the direct control of the CM’s office. later, the helpline was put under the control of the Department of Women and Child Development. The AAP Government had in no certain terms told Farooqui not to speak to the media without taking prior approval of the concerned authority.
In its show-cause notice, the WCD deputy director has said Farooqui had been appointed as consultant of 181 to professionally manage and supervise the functioning of the helpline. The notice said her contract clearly stated that she would not be paid remuneration for the day she remains absent, except for her weekly off days. Also, it said she would not be paid if she is absent unauthorisedly for more than five days.
Quoting the attendance mark on the biometric system in 2015, the notice said she was present for seven days in August, 10 days in September, 11 days in October, 8 days in November and 11 days in December. The Government has asked her to explain till Monday on why she had not been attending her office regularly. The notice said the irregularity in attending the office affects the smooth functioning of the helpline.
In her reply, Farooqui said she had been travelling to Alwar since Friday for personal work. She said due to taxi issues, a lot of media stories had started appearing and her team was distressed so she went to her office on Saturday to her surprise she found a show-cause notice of February 5 lying on her table.
She said, “Madam I surely have answers for your questions but is it not a miscarriage of justice that you leave a envelope of show-cause notice on my table on last day of week knowing I am out of station and asking me to give a response by a date which falls on a holiday. If by chance I would have not come to office today this notice would have gone unnoticed and putting my job to risk.”
Farooqui said, “Dear madam I am highly hurt that after repeatedly asking for clarification on the subject, department never guided me on the issue now it is resorting to such a manner. I feel justice has been denied to me and notice left on my table shows the ulterior motive of the department to terminate my services illegally.”