Khemka meets Haryana Governor; Vij bats for him

Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka on Friday met Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, two days after he was abruptly transferred by the state's BJP government headed by Manohar Lal Khattar.

No details were available about what transpired at the meeting.

Chief Minister Khattar had on Thursday maintained that Khemka's transfer was a "routine administrative matter" even as his government drew flak for shunting out the senior bureaucrat under pressure from a powerful lobby of transporters.

The state's outspoken Health and Sports Minister Anil Vij, who came out in support of Khemka earlier, too Friday said that the transfer was an "administrative matter".

However, he said that Khemka would be welcome if he was sent to the health department, under him.

Khemka was on Wednesday once again transferred to an inconsequential post by the Khattar government. As per the latest orders, Khemka has been posted as secretary, archaeology and museums department and director general, archaeology and museums. The post is considered of virtually no importance.

"Tried hard to address corruption and bring reforms in transport despite severe limitations and entrenched interests. Moment is truly painful," Khemka tweeted after his transfer - his 46th transfer in 24 years.

The Haryana transport department, under Khemka, had recently banned on plying of over-sized long-body trailers without obtaining permission.

The department had recently issued a notification, saying all heavy vehicles need to adhere to new criteria on dimensions of these vehicles before they are issued fitness certificates to ply on roads.

Khemka, an IIT-Kharagpur graduate, was appointed as transport commissioner and secretary, transport department, November last year after Khattar assumed office as chief minister of the first Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state.

At that time, Khemka, who had blown the lid off from the controversial multi-million-rupee land deals of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, was touted to get an important assignment. However, he was posted in the transport department.