Dinesh Khatik Resigns And Jitin Prasada Reported To Be Upset Over 'Transfer Row' In Uttar Pradesh

Minister of State for Jal Shakti Dinesh Khatik's resignation has increased worries of the Uttar Pradesh government which was earlier hit by the 'transfer row'.

He has sent his resignation to Home Minister Amit Shah alleging corruption in the current transfer session and 'Namami Gange' Yojana.

He has also pointed out that he was not heard by the officials because he is a Dalit. He has cited various instances when he was not given answers by officials concerned and his orders were ignored.

Speculations around his resignation were doing the rounds since yesterday (19 July) when he did not appear in the ministers' meeting with the Chief Minister. On Monday, he had left a meeting of the Rural Water Supply Department in the middle over transfer disagreements.

Meanwhile, cabinet minister Jitin Prasada has reached Delhi after five senior officers of the Public Works Department (PWD) under him were suspended.

Two ministries of the UP government have come under scanner over the 'transfer row'. First of all, the action was taken by transferring Prasada's officer on special duty (OSD) Anil Kumar Pandey on 18 July.

Thereafter, chief engineer (development) and departmental head of Public Works Department (PWD) Manoj Kumar Gupta, chief engineer (project and planning) Rakesh Kumar Saxena, senior staff officer Shailendra Kumar Yadav, administrative officer Pankaj Dixit and principal assistant Sanjay Kumar Chaurasia were suspended.

The action was taken after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath constituted a high-level inquiry committee over serious irregularities in the transfer orders passed during the current transfer session in the PWD.

Similarly, the large-scale transfer of doctors and medical staff in the state kicked off the controversy in the Health Department as well. Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak himself raised the questions after which the Chief Minister had set up an inquiry committee.

It is expected that similar actions will follow on the Health Department officers after the inquiry committee gives its report. However, the impact of these incidents is not limited to the bureaucratic set-up but will have political implications as well.

Prasada joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after leaving Congress in September last year. Immediately, he was given a cabinet berth and continued as a cabinet minister in the Yogi government's second tenure as PWD Minister.

But now, he is reportedly disappointed with his OSD being sent back to the Centre and hence, may meet Home Minister Amit Shah to talk about his grievances.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya is also in Delhi and will meet BJP high command to discuss the issues. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.