Alok Verma is Chairman HPSC- blessings of top functionary of RSS and Bihar lobby close to ex CM Manohar Lal
Gustakhi Maaf Haryana— Pawan Kumar Bansal
The appointment of Alok Verma as Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) is widely believed to have been facilitated by his proximity to the RSS. He is often described as a blue-eyed boy of a senior RSS functionary.
Besides enjoying the blessings of the RSS, he is also said to have the backing of a Bihar lobby that remains influential in the political circles associated with former Chief Minister Manohar Lal.
Recruitment under his tenure is perceived to be taking place in a highly organized and tightly controlled manner. Critics point out that before 2014, candidates from Bihar were rarely seen in the Haryana Civil Services (HCS), allied services, or Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) recruitments.
Today, however, a noticeable number of successful candidates are reportedly from Bihar. There is, of course, nothing improper or unlawful about candidates from any part of the country being selected on merit.
Nevertheless, the disproportionately high representation of candidates from Bihar in recent recruitments has raised questions and fuelled speculation among many observers.
Tailpiece:
The million-dollar question doing the rounds in political, media, and bureaucratic circles is this: Why has Alok Verma not publicly presented his side of the story regarding the inquiry conducted against him by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)?
Curiously, even opposition leaders appear to be missing the central issue. Rather than questioning the concerns arising from his past record and the allegations surrounding him, many have chosen to focus on the argument that he is an outsider and that the HPSC Chairman should be a resident of Haryana.
Such arguments overlook an important reality. Since the formation of Haryana, Chairmen and Members of the HPSC have largely been drawn from within the state. Yet history also reminds us that appointments have not always been above criticism.
Allegations of selections influenced by caste considerations, political patronage, and even monetary factors have surfaced at various points in the past. Public memory may be short, but those precedents should not be forgotten while debating the present controversy.