Allegations of Irregularities in Police Recruitment During Hooda Regime Raised in Haryana Assembly
Gustakhi Maaf Haryana: Pawan Kumar Bansal
Allegations of Irregularities in Police Recruitment During Hooda Regime Raised in Haryana Assembly
BJP MLA Highlights Issues in Police Recruitment and Broader Job Selections
During the Haryana Assembly Budget Session, BJP MLA raised serious allegations regarding irregularities in police recruitment under the regime of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The MLA claimed that, through manipulation, the marks of top-performing candidates were intentionally lowered, allowing the appointment of individuals, including relatives of Hooda and other ministers, to positions within the police force. This claim is just the “tip of the iceberg,” as the MLA pointed out that recruitment processes across various government bodies and autonomous universities in Haryana have been under suspicion since the state became separate.
Irregularities in Job Selections and Recruitment Processes
The BJP MLA alleged that job selections conducted by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC), Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), Staff Selection Board, and so-called autonomous universities have been fraught with irregularities since Haryana’s formation as a state. For instance, former CM Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Chautala were sentenced to ten years in prison in connection with a teacher recruitment scam. The scandalous track record of Haryana’s recruitment systems has persisted under multiple administrations.
Corruption and Mismanagement Under Various Administrations
The situation allegedly worsened during the tenure of CM Manohar Lal, when a deputy secretary of HPSC was apprehended by the Vigilance Department with large sums of cash and blank answer sheets in his office. Additionally, questions surrounding the past history of the HPSC Chairperson remain unresolved. Allegations also emerged about Bhajan Lal, a former CM, appointing thirty-four judges without conducting written exams.
Another shocking claim pointed to the appointment of a close relative of Bhupinder Singh Hooda as an assistant professor in a university despite the candidate’s low rank in the written exam. Further concerns have been raised about Gurugram University, which is now facing contempt of court for recruitment irregularities, following a ruling by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Caste-Based Discrimination and Unfair Appointments
The allegations also extended to caste-based discrimination in recruitment. It was claimed that HSSC had asked caste-based questions in exams, leading to further scrutiny of the recruitment system. Furthermore, Haryana Minister Arvind Sharma allegedly secured admission to a dental medical college in Rohtak under a special quota that was allegedly fixed by Bhajan Lal during his tenure as CM.
The claims also point out that the daughter of Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, was appointed to the IAS without taking any exams, raising concerns about favoritism and the erosion of merit-based selection processes. Additionally, over 80 youth affiliated with the BJP or the Sangh Parivar were allegedly appointed to the IAS at the rank of Joint Secretary, without clearing any formal exams.
BJP and Sangh Parivar Influence on Government Appointments
The broader implication of these allegations is the increasing influence of BJP and Sangh Parivar members in top positions across government institutions, autonomous boards, and corporations. The opposition has raised concerns that this political favoritism is undermining the credibility and transparency of the recruitment system in Haryana.
Tailpiece: Exam Questions Reflecting Political Influence During Hooda and Chautala Regimes
A revealing example of political influence in recruitment exams comes from the Hooda regime when HPSC reportedly asked candidates, “Name the only living member of the Constituent Assembly,” an obvious reference to Hooda’s father, freedom fighter Ranbir Singh. Similarly, during Om Prakash Chautala’s tenure as CM, the exam question was altered to, “Name the politician who quit the post of Prime Minister in favor of VP Singh,” which was a reference to Devi Lal, a prominent political figure in Haryana.
Under the current BJP regime, questions about figures like Veer Savarkar, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Rath Yatra, and Ram Mandir have been allegedly incorporated into recruitment exams, further adding to concerns about the politicization of the recruitment process in the state.