CHANDIGARH: Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Hurnam Dass Johar seems to have outdone everybody else in the Beant Singh government, so far as making appointments in his office is concerned; Nepotism has perhaps touched a new high in his case.
None of the ministers so far has appointed his near and dear ones in his own department. This seems to be the exclusive preserve of Johar.
Johar has made about half dozen appointments after he took over the office in July last He appointed his son. Ajay as his special assistant His daughter Sangeeta is his public relations officer. Yet he has appointed his nephew as regular assistant Even the other appointees are learnt to be this favorites.
Ajay was earlier his political secretary when he was the Education Minister.
It is not the appointments are illegal or violative of any norm or procedures. Even earlier, making these appointments has been the exclusive preserve of the Speaker; The Vidhan Sabha secretariat is yet to evolve any procedure for filling up the posts. But never on any earlier occasion had the occupant of this august office given preference to his blood relations. The post of the public relations affairs is a guarded office. He would be coterminous with the tenure of their father.
The relatives of a number of ministers in the Beant Singh government have been appointed to coveted posts in other departments on ad hoc basis and the lists have been cleared by none else but Chief Minister Beant Singh himself.
In this case, Beant Singh is learned to have “advised” Johar against appointing his son and daughter and other close relatives in the Vidhan Sabha, However, he decided to go ahead.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 19, 1993
