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Government tries to send Bhatia into the archives, but officer proceeds on leave

Michael Gonsalves in Pune

Even as the Maharashtra government, in an attempt to dampen the people's movement seeking Arun Bhatia's reinstatement as Pune municipal commissioner, posted the controversial IAS officer to the state archives in Bombay as commissioner, the gutsy 'Demolition Man' has proceeded on a month's leave.

"I will not join the new posting. I am proceeding on a month's leave," Bhatia told Rediff On The NeT after receiving the government's faxed order at his residence last evening.

"Since the people want me back, I would be happy to return as Pune municipal commissioner," the 1967 batch officer, who has been transferred a record 24 times in his 32-year career, said.

"I will also file my say before the Bombay high court," Bhatia said in response to the news report that the court had asked the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit by March 23 in reply to a bunch of public-interest petitions seeking his reinstatement.

The petitions, filed by the Express Citizens Forum, advocate Shekhar Tawde, and corporators Nitin Jagtap and Sunanda Das, came up for hearing before Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice S Radhakrishnan on Wednesday.

The court has also directed Bhatia to remain present on March 23 to elicit his views. "I will file a detailed document, with annexures, to fight my case and get justice," Bhatia said. He added that he would forward a copy of his statement to the court to Maharashtra Chief Secretary P Subrahmanyam.

Bhatia, who initiated action on corruption charges against 107 talathis (junior land officers) in the Pune revenue division and had strong differences on the issue with the chief secretary, was transferred to the Pune Municipal Corporation on March 6, only to be replaced by Girish Pradhan on March 13.

The reason: he had invoked the wrath of builders and the influential hotels lobby by demolishing illegal structures in posh areas of the city.

But angered by the shabby treatment meted out to the gutsy officer, thousands of Pune-ites, in an unprecedented revolt, have taken to the streets seeking his reinstatement.

"I am touched by the public support. For the first time I have received support on such a massive scale. There is so much cleansing to be done that I would be delighted to resume my duty as Pune Municipal Commissioner," Bhatia said.

He attributed the people's support to his "honest efforts to do my duty".

Bhatia, however, is unhappy at being described as 'Demolition Man'. "Why are you journalists focusing so much on the demolition work? Many things were on my agenda, like water supply, catching tax defaulters, health and sanitation, and above all the right to information," he said.

Public support for the commissioner gained momentum on Wednesday when a mammoth crowd, including many intellectuals and women's groups, took out a procession through the main thoroughfares of the city, ending in a human chain around the PMC building, shouting, "We want Bhatia back."

Avinash Dharmadhikari, an IAS officer-turned-social crusader, said, "The beauty of this protest is that people have spontaneously come together to reinstate Bhatia. There is no political compulsion of any kind."

"It is a moral fight against the political pressures which prompted Bhatia's transfer," said Sandeep Khardekar, president of the Patit Pawan Sanghatana, a militant social organisation. "We will fight till he is reinstated."

The movement got a boost when social reformer and anti-corruption crusader Kisan 'Anna' Hazare declared support for Bhatia and Pu La Deshpande, doyen of Marathi litterateurs, condemned the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance for abruptly transferring an honest and efficient officer.

Bhatia, 56, a St Stephen's College, Delhi, alumnus and Cambridge University graduate is among the senior bureaucrats in the Maharashtra cadre. He is also the most frequently transferred officer in the state. Commenting on this, Bhatia remarked at a recent Rotary Club gathering, "I have paid the price for being honest. But it was worth it as I just could not bring myself to any sort of compromising my principles."

ALSO SEE:

1. Honest Injun
2. Seshan criticises Bhatia's conduct, though indirectly

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