'Whose interests do I protect': Ashok Khemka addresses politicos in anguished tweet after repeated transfers

Chandigarh: Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who hit headlines in 2012 after cancelling the mutation of a land deal between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra’s Skylight Hospitality and major real estate developer DLF, Tuesday appeared to be questioning his frequent transfers in a tweet.

किसके हितों की रक्षा करूँ? तुम्हारा या उनका जिनका आप प्रतिनिधित्व का दावा करते हैं?
दम्भ है हमें पैरों तले रौंदोगे। शौक से, कई बार सहा है, एक बार और सही।

— Ashok Khemka (@AshokKhemka_IAS) March 5, 2019

“Whose interests do I protect? Yours or the people’s you claim to represent? It’s your arrogance that you will trample me under your feet. With pleasure; I have suffered repeatedly, let it be once more,” Khemka tweeted Tuesday evening in chaste Hindi with his anguish writ large in his words. The 1991-batch IAS officer’s tweet cane two days after his yet another transfer by the Haryana government on Sunday along with nine others. Khemka, who was posted for nearly 15 months in the Sports and Youth Affairs Department, headed by state minister Anil Vij, has been reportedly transferred for over 50 times in his career so far. Ashok Khemka, principal secretary of Sports and Youth Affairs Department was posted Sunday as principal secretary of Science and Technology Department, a post which he held earlier. Before being transferred to the Sports and Youth Affairs Department in November 2017, Khemka held the charge of principal secretary in Social Justice and Empowerment Department. Even at that time, he had taken to Twitter after the transfer order was issued. “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 tweeted then.