North-East, Ladakh not for Punishment postings: local enraged

SRINAGAR/GUWAHATI: Ladakh and North-East regions are usually seen as 'non-friendly' and middle –ranking IAS officials are dispatched to these areas as a punishment posting. IAS couple Sanjeev Khirwar and Rinku Dugga who were recently in the headline might have a similar fate. Khirwar has been 'penalised' with a posting in Ladakh while Dugga is gotten a posting in Arunachal Pradesh.

This action taken by the government has had local sentiments hurt as they say that their native places should not be meant for the babus on the mat.

This couple earned the public displeasure as they closed the Thyagraj Stadium in Delhi that is government-run, before the actual time of closing because they wanted to walk their dog there.

Councilor from Chushul and a Ladakh politician Konchok Stanzin tweeted, "Ladakh needs a better IAS officer because the elected representatives have no real authority to run the UT. For us, a difficult time has already begun," adding that Ladakh should not be seen as a place for punishment posting.

Civil society activist from Kargil and a politician, Sajjad Kargili, who was unsuccessful in in 2019 Lok Sabha election said that the government transfer of IAS officers as a form of punishment to Ladakh portrays a alck of seriousness that the Centre shows towards states that shares borders with China and Pakistan, and must be treated as important, according to the Indian Express.

"Ladakh needs upright and efficient officers. The Centre needs to send efficient officers to Ladakh. Instead, it is sending officers found violating rules. Anybody in India who is incompetent is sent to Ladakh on a punishment posting," Kargili said.

Twitter users all over North-East have vented out their frustration on the social media platform. "The North-East is a beautiful place, not meant for punishing an officer," tweeted Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, the chief of Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance. "The mindset of the mainlanders will never change – the North-East is also considered as a punishment or retirement posting for ageing politician as governor," Debbarma, who belongs to Tripura's royal family, tweeted.

Manoranjan Pegu tweeted: "This transfer is being celebrated because people still view North-East India as 'jungle', 'extreme', remote places where people should go only for punishment. Delhi's discards get space in Arunachal." Senior journalist Karma Paljor tweeted, "We are not and will not be the Siberia for the rest of India."