JAMMU : A retired Station Master of the Railways, Jaswant Singh is sitting on hunger strike for the last two days against corruption prevalent in the railways and his harassment by Northern Railway officials. He was denied travel allowances and other dues besides delay in disbursement of salary. He observed hunger strike earlier in July 2011 against the nexus between coal contractors and Railway officials.
He confidently showed documentary evidence of regular delay or non-payment of salaries, non-payment or less payment of travel allowances, frequent transfers within a short period of two years, regular cut of house rent (He never got any residential quarter allotment) and list of allegations goes on and on.
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was frequently transferred during last two years, from Bari Brahmana to Ambala on July 20, 2011, from Ambala to Jammu on July 26, 2011, from Jammu to Ferozpur on July 15, 2013 and then from Ferozpur to Sajjanpur on July 31, 2013. He asked, “When minimum transfer tenure is of two years than why I was transferred four times in a spam of two years. Even I was denied general practice of retirement from home or nearest available station.”
He alleged, “I was shifted from operating department to electrification department. This doesn’t make any sense because I don’t have any technical qualification to work in that department. Department still hasn’t paid my July, 2013 salary and there are pending payment of Rs 4600 of travel allowances. I am retired, my children are studying. How I am going to afford their studies when there is so much of inflation?”
When asked about the reason behind the harassment, he explains, “When I was posted in Bari Brahmana, I found high level of corruption happening in the premises of Railway Station which was under my jurisdiction at that time. At Bari Brahmana station contractors of coal unload coal from train wagons. Fixed scheduled time of unloading the coal is from 6.00 AM to 11.00 OM whosoever unloads before or after the schedule time would be fined. Before I joined the office, there was a general practice of unloading even in the night. This was happening with the connivance of officials and coal contractors. I disrupted the smooth functioning of this nexus. First they tried to involve me in the nexus by bribing but I refused. From then onwards they started threatening me. I sent written complaints to higher officials but in vain. At that time I sat on hunger strike against unwillingness of officials to intervene in the matter.”
He alleged that these officials were still punishing me for exposing unlawful practices.
He demanded that Government of India should intervene in the matter. It is very important otherwise no honest government employee will dare to perform his/her duties honestly.