Terming his transfer as “painful”, whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who shot into the limelight after he questioned Robert Vadra’s land deals in Haryana, said he tried to address corruption and bring reforms in the state transport department despite “severe limitations and entrenched interests” .

“Tried hard to address corruption and bring reforms in the transport despite severe limitations and entrenched interests. Moment is truly painful,” 49-year-old Khemka said in a tweet a day after he was moved to the Archaeology and Museums Department by the Manohar Lal Khattar government.

Meanwhile, Haryana’s Health Minister Anil Vij came out in Khemka’s support, saying he will talk to the Chief Minister regarding the officer “who had worked to weed out corruption during the previous Congress regime“.

Khemka has been transferred 45 times in his nearly 22-year-long career, with the officer not occupying any post beyond a few months.

When asked about the decision, Vij told reporters in Ambala, “I will talk to the Chief Minister regarding Khemka’s transfer.”

Vij, an outspoken BJP leader and Ambala Cantt MLA, said he had always stood by Khemka, “who had worked to weed out corruption during the previous Congress regime”.

The BJP Government in the state had last night issued transfer and posting orders of nine IAS officers, including Khemka, with immediate effect.

Khemka, who was in November last year posted as Transport Commissioner and Secretary, Transport Department, has now been posted as Secretary, Archaeology and Museums Department and Director General, Archaeology and Museums, a posting considered as “low profile”.

The government did not mention any reason for his transfer. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s OSD Bhupeshwar Dayal termed it as an administrative matter.

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