Ashok Gehlot was visibly disappointed when former chief secretary and former chief information commissioner DB Gupta condemned the Gehlot's decision of splitting big districts into small districts. Gupta backed Bhajan Lal Sharma government after it cancelled creation of nine districts.
This is for the first time DB Gupta came out in open criticising Gehlot government's decision.
Gehlot mentioning DB Gupta's name said that Gupta was chief secretary during his (Gehlot's) tenure and then served as chief information commissioner after retirement.
“Gupta is among many former bureaucrats who had been beneficiary of Gehlot regime. The then chief minister Vasundhara Raje had made DB Gupta chief secretary. When Gehlot took over in December 2018, he continued with DB Gupta before Gehlot removed him three months before his retirement and made him his advisor. After retirement Gupta was made chief information commissioner,” said a senior IAS officer.
Gupta's wife Veenu Gupta was made RERA chief
It's not only DB Gupta who was favoured by Gehlot. Even his wife Veenu Gupta, a 1987 batch IAS officer was made chief of Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) even before her superannuation. She took voluntary retirement to annexe that position.
“Gehlot's disappointment and anger is not unwarranted. He respectfully ‘rehabilitated' both husband-wife with plum positions after retirement. And now if DB Gupta publicly speaks against Gehlot's decision, it must have hurted him,” said a senior IAS, who is a known Gehlot's sympathiser.
What about Lalit K Panwar?
Gehlot is not much disappointed with Lalit K Panwar, who had been beneficiary of BJP government as well.
Gehlot said that BJP government had given rhe task of reviewing the decision of creating 17 new districts to Lalit K Panwar, who is member of BJP.
“How can he (Lalit k Panwar) recommend against the government's wish. He will have to comply with the government's view,” he said.
Panwar, a 1979 batch IAS was once close to Gehlot who had made him (Panwar) his secretary during the first tenure.
The BJP government, however had been more generous on Panwar, who was appointed as RPSC chairman by Vasundhara Raje government and later on founder vice chancellor of skill university in the same government.
“The pain for Panwar is little. He had good relations with BJP as well as Congress government. Overall Panwar had been a silent officer during his career with good credentials,” another IAS officer close to Gehlot said.
Ram Kumar Kaushik is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years of experience across mediums. The architect of this news website, he is also a consultant with several media groups. He was formerly the group managing editor of ITV Network (NewsX, India News and The Sunday Guardian) and its digital products.
