Activists and BJP SC Morcha Condemn Transfer of MCC Revenue Officer Praveen Karkera
Mangaluru: One thing for sure if an official working at Mangaluru City Corporation is doing His or Her job according to the rules and without any corruption involved, then there are 100% chances that He or she will be removed with made-up stories as reasons or will be transferred to a different location. For example we had a strict, well disciplined, dedicated MCC Commissioner Hepsiba Rani Korlapathi, who just because she was following her duties as per the rules, and was very particular in doing payments for developmental work unless she sees the work, was transferred with a few months to a different city for her HONESTY and SINCERITY. Similarly when police officers who do a good job without any bribe or influence, they are quick to be transferred. So what kind of “Smart City” are are we living in, which is no doubt a Corrupt city- and for the fact, MCC should be named as “Mangaluru Corrupt Corporation”.
MCC Revenue Officer Praveen Chandra Karkera
Here we have yet another story of a sincere officer of MCC who had done his job as per the orders of his seniors and also as per the rules, in learnt has been transferred from Mangaluru to Kalaburagi- just because he had ordered the laborers to pull down bunch of flex hoardings, which belonged to a Congress leader in town. This is what the punishment the MCC Officer got for carrying out a drive against flex boards in the City, which is actually banned as per SC order. The Officer took the initiative after he noted that in Bengaluru BBMP had launched a drive recently against illegal flex hoardings. In an order dated August 14, 2018, the Urban Development Department had transferred Praveen Karkera to Kalaburagi citing administrative reasons and public interest.
Since no one from MCC had supported Karkera in this regard, a bunch of activists and also members of BJP SC Morcha have come forward to raise their voices against the transfer of Karkera, and want them to change their decision and retain Karkera in Mangaluru itself. The activists have even launched a campaign on social media, calling upon people to send e-mails to chief minister Kumaraswamy so that the govt revokes the transfer order and reinstates Karkera.
Activist Sashidhar Hegde speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “MCC Revenue Officer Praveen Chandra Karkera as per his senior’s order and as per the rules had removed bunch of flex hoardings belonging to a local Congress leader, and all these illegal flex hoardings were put up by this Congress leader’s relative who owns an advertising agency. We are not against transfers of officials by the administrative as per their procedure, but unnecessarily transferring a sincere employee for his drive against illegal flex hoardings sends a wrong message to society, and is also mental harassment for officials who work as per the rules/laws. Therefore, we have launched a social media campaign on WhatsApp and Facebook, requesting citizens to send emails to CM and other concerned authorities who might have taken this decision.
Hegde further said, “We will plan for a legal action if this transfer of this MCC Officer is withdrawn. We will also plant saplings at the spot where the flex hoardings were put/removed, as a protest to oppose illegal flex hoardings”. On the other hand, Minister U T Khader has a different version to say, “The Transfer of MCC Officer is part of an administrative decision. It is an administrative decision taken by the department, and I have nothing to do with it. If the decision was wrong, action will be taken in the due course of time”.
Meanwhile speaking to media, Dinesh Amtoor, the president of BJP SC Morcha had said, “The statement by Minister U T Khader does not really suit in this regard that the transfer of officers are done in a routine basis by the department, but here in Karkera’s transfer it clearly shows that his transfer was for removing illegal hoardings put up by the Congress leaders across the City, through one of his relative who runs an ad firm. And it should be known that such transfers usualy take place during the month of April, so why now in August? This clearly shows the hand of Congress leaders in punishing an MCC Officer for removing a Congress leader’s banners.”
He further said, “Is this what the Congress offers to an honest and efficient SC Officers after having run by a govt on the much touted AHINDA plank for the last five years. The timing of the transfer beyond government’s guidelines on transfers, speaks of vindictiveness. Karkera’s transfer is following a set of pattern where upright SC Officers across Karnataka are being targeted including those in former CM Siddaramaiah’s area. In protest of Karkera’s transfer our Morcha has decided to hold a protest in front of MCC office today, Tuesday, 28 August 2018. If his transfer is not withdrawn, we will intensify our protest, until justice is served”