Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday slammed Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar over the incidents of repeated attacks on a woman IAS officer.
Surjewala tweeted: "A Backward Class women IAS officer is repeatedly tortured, tormented & attacked to the extent that she resigns from IAS citing 'personal safety'. CM Khattar remains 'mum'. Now, a murderous assault on her and her sister with 'iron rods.' CM Khattar is still mum."
Elaborating his points in a press release, Surjewala asked: "What is the reason behind the constant, deadly attacks, the exploitation and atrocities on the only backward class woman IAS officer from the Gurjar community, Ms R Nagar?"
"Why are the BJP Governments of UP-Haryana not investigating the conspiracy behind the murder attempts on Haryana IAS Officer, Ms R Nagar? Why have the BJP Governments not taken a decision on the change of cadre of Ms R Nagar from Haryana to UP?"
The AICC chief spokesperson said: "The sheer incompetence and apathy of the Khattar Government in not acting against those guilty of repeatedly attacking the only backward class woman IAS officer from the Gurjar community, R Nagar constrained her to take the extreme step of submitting her resignation on May 4th, 2020 from the IAS cadre itself. In her resignation, Nagar has clearly written that she was forced to resign from the Indian Administrative Service for 'fear of her own personal safety."
"State-sponsored 'Goondaism' has crossed all limits. Yesterday evening on May 30th, 2020, a murderous attack was launched with iron rods on R Nagar and her sister, in which her sister Reema Nagar has been injured," the press note said.
"2014 Haryana Cadre IAS Officer R Nagar has been subjected to repeated attacks, exploitation and atrocities under Khattar Government. Tragically, Chief Minister ML Khattar has maintained a conspiratorial silence in the entire matter. Despite dozens of complaints and multiple attacks over the last three years, CM Khattar has not deemed it fit to at least call Nagar for a personal hearing, understand the history of repeated exploitation and take action against the guilty," the press release said.
Surjewala alleged: "The pattern of repeated attacks on R Nagar appear to indicate that high ups in the Khattar government are giving direct or indirect encouragement and protection to her attackers."
He further said: "In December 2017, R Nagar was posted as SDM, Dabwali, when an incident of criminal trespass into her house took place. The police took no action. When the matter was raised in public forums and through social media/newspapers, an FIR was finally lodged on December 24, 2017."
In June 2018, R Nagar submitted a complaint of physical exploitation and repeatedly raised it. Khattar government took no action. Pursuant thereto, a pattern of repeated attacks and exploitation began. On April 17th, 2019, R Nagar publicly wrote, on her Facebook account, about the attacks on her as also the prevailing threats to her safety. CM ML Khattar and his government still took no action.
"R Nagar and her sister were staying at Room No. 311 UT Guest House, Chandigarh, since December 2019. Shockingly she found that here too, she was the victim of an attack as she found a needle hidden in her food. She gave a written complaint on December 13th, 2019."
"The inhumane treatment of R Nagar and her sister, during the lockdown is even more shocking as they were not even served food and had to sustain themselves on liquids. She has disclosed this publicly on May 7th, 2020. ," he said.
The Congress leader said, "On May 8, 2020, all limits were crossed when the door to her room no. 311 in the UT Guest House, Chandigarh, was broken. It is indeed intriguing as to how the door of a woman IAS officer in the high-security area of UT Guest House (next to the Haryana Governor's house) be broken by criminals without the protection of the powers that be?."
"On May 12, 2020, R Nagar residence was again attacked. On the evening of May 30th, 2020 a murderous attack was again launched on R Nagar and her sister."
Surjewala raised five questions to the Khattar Government, "What is the reason behind the constant, deadly attacks, the exploitation and atrocities on the only backward class woman IAS officer from the Gurjar community R Nagar? Why has the Khattar Government not taken any action on the repeated complaints made by a woman IAS officer R Nagar?"
"Why did the Khattar Government not take cognizance of the attack on R Nagar in the UT Guest House, Chandigarh situated in the high-security area? Despite the resignation submitted by a backward class woman IAS officer from the Indian Administrative Service citing threats to personal safety, why did CM ML Khattar not call her even once to enquire about the threats and order action the guilty?"
The Congress leader asked, "Is this not the solemn responsibility of Khattar as the head of the State? Is Khattar Government giving direct or indirect protection to those attacking R Nagar repeatedly?"
( With inputs from ANI )