By RTI Activist Prakash Das
BHUBANESWAR:Social activist Prakash Das filed a Right to Information (RTI) application to the DoPT and GA & PG Department to get information about the assets of former IAS officers Shri VK Pandian and Mrs. Sujatha Raut Karthikeyan. The DoPT office official replied: This information is available on the website but not in the department, so your request has been forwarded to the Odisha government. The Odisha government will provide you with the information. Earlier, the same information was also sought from the GA & PG Department of the Odisha government.
The Odisha government conspired to hide the information and said to check it on the website. The applicant checked the website but the information was not available. After this, the applicant filed an appeal. During the hearing of the case, the officer said that since VK Pandian has voluntarily retired, the information is not available on the website, it has been deleted. Done.
Petitioner Prakash Das said that VK Pandian and Sujatha Raut should give a hard copy or xerox of the list of assets given to Karthikeyan by the government. The officer said that it is a sealed copy and cannot be given.
The applicant said that the property list given by the Pandian couple has been uploaded on the website/publicly, so what is the problem in giving a copy of the same information?? This information is given in the public domain for transparency and accountability. Why are you conspiring and doing illegal things to not give the information of the Pandian couple? You are telling blatant lies and making various excuses. The officials remained silent, there was pressure and fear from the government on their faces. The then Naveen government did not give information, this is the true character of clean governance and 5T. The fight is going on in this regard.
By conspiring to violate the law, law, and order, the list of assets of Bhike Pandian was illegally hidden. The information was not found. The list of assets of Pandian was buried and the list of assets remained a secret. You have seen how the authorities of both the central and state governments protected the Pandian couple’s business.
The asset list of Mrs. Sujatha Raut Karthikeyan was found on the website. She has not given the complete details of her assets to the government in her asset list. She has hidden the details from the government and cheated them. She has only shown how much money she is getting as salary. House, land, gold, bank balances etc. have been declared as NIL.
Here the question arises, can a woman who does not have total gold, not have a husband? But the bank balance is still there, they are taking lakhs of rupees in salary every month. But the bank balance is also hiding the assets.
We had alleged that VK Pandian and Sujatha Raut Karthikeyan had hidden their asset list. And that the entire assets of both of them should be investigated. But neither the then Naveen government nor the current BJP government conducted any investigation. The asset list of both the Pandian couples remained a secret. The governance system is functioning in such an unfortunate situation. Which is condemnable.
During the 2024 elections, BJP leaders VK Pandian and Sujatha Raut made various complaints against Karthikeyan. Based on the BJP’s complaints, Sujatha Raut transferred Karthikeyan to the Election Commission. Similarly, the BJP and the then Khordha District Magistrate, Election Officer IPS DS Kutte and Ashish Singh made complaints against them. Both IPS were suspended. But a few days later they were promoted and sent to MP. Despite the orders of the Election Commission, the government is not taking action against DS Kutte and Ashish Singh. The law, regulations, and rules are being flouted. The BJP government has protected all the members of the Pandian syndicate. Where did the BJP come to provide good governance, but look how it deals and loots.
Currently, the BJP-BJD undeclared alliance government is in power, so no action will be taken against the Pandian couple. During the 2024 elections, arrangements were made to form the government by aligning with the BJP, BJD-Pandian. VK Pandian had a secret meeting with senior BJP leader Amit Shah. The current politics and governance system is going on based on that meeting. The BJP government, which claims to break the back of the corrupt and mafia, first did politics with VK Pandian, now it will do politics with Sujatha Raut Karthikeyan. Both of them will form the government in the future. Wonderful politics is going on. These people can do anything for their own interests and power.
There is still time for the government to change its approach and work towards the development of Odisha and fulfill the promises made to the people of Odisha. And take strict action against corrupt and looting leaders, ministers, officers, mafia. Do not do injustice and betrayal to the people who brought the BJP government to power with their hopes, trust, and confidence. Otherwise, history will not forgive. The people will give a strong response. Jaya Rashtra.
