Job transfers and shifting base is indeed stressful. And to do it over and over again is not just unsettling but a person tends to lose the feeling of belonging.
A similar thing has happened to IAS officer Ashok Khemka who has been transferred for the 53rd time in the past 28 years, reports Hindustan Times.
Recently, the Haryana government issued a transfer order to 14 IAS officers and Khemka was one of them. He took to Twitter to express how humiliating it is to get transferred for an unimaginable number of times.
“Transferred again. Back to square one. A day after we celebrated the Constitution Day, the Supreme Court order and rules have been broken once again. Some must have been pleased, after all, I have been pushed to final corner. Prize of honesty is humiliation,” his tweet roughly translates.
फिर तबादला। लौट कर फिर वहीं।
कल संविधान दिवस मनाया गया। आज सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के आदेश एवं नियमों को एक बार और तोड़ा गया। कुछ प्रसन्न होंगे।
अंतिम ठिकाने जो लगा। ईमानदारी का ईनाम जलालत।— Ashok Khemka (@AshokKhemka_IAS) November 27, 2019
Ashok Khemka was posted as the Principal Secretary in Haryana’s Science and Technology Department only in March. He is now being transferred to the Archives, Archaeology and Museums Department with immediate effect.
The 1991-batch officer was first mentioned by the media when he had cancelled the mutation of a land deal between Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and DLF, reports India today.
In a previous transfer almost 4 years ago, Khemka had expressed how it was “painful” when he was moved from the state’s transport department.
“Tried hard to address corruption and bring reforms in Transport despite severe limitations and entrenched interests. The moment is truly painful,” he had then said.
People on the internet came to his support and tried giving him a fresh perspective.
Sir, big salute to you.
Everyone has a different definition of success. I think you have been successful so far in what you intended to do.
Why this despair?
— Chamatkari Patrakar (@ChamatkariBaba) November 27, 2019
My dad was a trade tax officer. Once during some non jhonk I asked him itne din me kya kiya aapne (ek ghar bhi na banaya) he went quite & then said.
Is zamane me Bina koi dagh lage zindagi guzaar li, yeh Kum achievement lagta hai tumhen ?
Yeh Zalallat nahin hai. Honor hai.
— Sharique شارق (@shariquenomani) November 27, 2019
While the Haryana government termed the transfers as a routine exercise, we can’t help but empathise with the kind of anxiousness the officer might be facing. This is indeed disappointing!