Uttarakhand: Congress angered by the demand for property details from government employees, calls it an attempt to intimidate them before the elections

The main opposition party in Uttarakhand has reacted angrily to the Personnel Department’s request for details of employees’ assets. The Congress party has termed it harassment of employees ahead of the assembly elections.

Congress angered by the demand for employees’ asset details: Under the employee service rules, employees and officers are required to submit details of their assets to the Personnel Department every year. As a reminder, the Personnel Department recently issued another reminder letter to all employees, asking them to provide details of their assets. The opposition party, Congress, is calling this harassment of employees.

Ganesh Godiyal said this is an attempt to intimidate employees: Congress state president Ganesh Godiyal said:

“This is a burning issue in Uttarakhand right now, where the government is cracking down on employees just before the assembly elections. By instilling fear about their assets, the government is trying to show employees what will happen to them if they don’t support the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming elections. It is extremely regrettable that the government is asking employees to make their asset details public, but it is oblivious to the fact that there are several ministers who are accused of possessing assets disproportionate to their income. Why is the government not saying anything about their assets? Why are they still in the cabinet?”
– Ganesh Godiyal, Congress State President –

Godiyal demanded that the assets of ministers and MLAs be made public: The Congress state president said that the government is currently trying to intimidate employees just before the elections so that they either remain silent out of fear or support their political ideology. He said that this is part of the government’s political strategy. This is a game of political pressure by the government. He said that the government ministers and MLAs should first make their assets public, and then apply the rule to everyone else.

BJP says it’s a routine procedure: On the other hand, senior spokesperson and MLA of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Vinod Chamoli, said:

“According to the employee service rules, employees are required to submit details of their assets every year.” This system is already in place. There is nothing new about it. The officials and employees who are receiving the information are the same ones who are providing it. Since this work was not being done properly, a reminder order has been issued again.
–Vinod Chamoli, BJP Spokesperson–

Vinod Chamoli is in favor of strict action against those who do not disclose their assets: Chamoli said that this should be strictly enforced. Some more restrictions should also be imposed. For example, if an officer or employee does not disclose their assets, all their promotions and increments should be stopped. Vinod Chamoli said that such steps are necessary to reduce corruption in the system. Regarding the assets of MLAs and ministers, he said that MLAs and ministers who contest elections make their assets public while campaigning. This should not be compared to the situation of officers and employees.