Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot orders protection of whistleblowers.

Source – indiatoday.in

In an official circular, the government of Rajasthan has asked all the departments not to obstruct or hamper the works and requests of those persons who write to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) about the illegal practices adopted by the officers or employees of the concerned department.

Ashok Gehlot recently said that he had leart that on some occasions the officials or employees of a department would hamper even the legally maintainable requests by a person who had complained against a public servant or had got him trapped by the ACB.

Complaints about the victimisation of such whistleblowers were also received.

“Such practices would develop a negativity amongst the commoners and would discourage them from raising their voice against corruption,” Ashok Gehlot told India Today adding that such a scenario would encourage corruption.

The home department has now directed all the additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries of various departments to ensure that the legally doable works of the complainants were disposed-off as per the norms and their problems were redressed without any delay.

Also, the heads of the concerned departments should hold regular meetings to review the complaints or requests related to such petitioners.

The state government would take serious and stern action on a violation of these directions.

Ashok Gehlot had recently held a meeting of Anti-Corruption Bureau and ordered to take effective actions on complaints against the corruption. Ashok Gehlot said that corruption would not be tolerated in any form in Rajasthan and those raising voice against the corrupt practices would be given full protection.

The latest move of protection to whistleblowers follows Ashok Gehlot asking Supreme Court (SC) to take suo motto cognizance of involvement of black money in electoral bonds and in the running of political parties.

Ashok Gehlot had made this demand before President of India Ram Nath Kovind, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, five other judges of the apex court and a full house of Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur recently.

This is viewed as a rather bold move to question Bharatiya Janata Party-backed electoral bond which Ashok Gehlot says was a mode to convert black money into white.