There was high drama at the office of the deputy commissioner here on Saturday as an MLA and a high-ranking official accused each other of corruption and harassment.
When a group of reporters were dispersing from the deputy commissioner’s office after a tour of the drought-hit villages in Hunsur taluk, they were tipped off about a furore being raised by the H.D. Kote MLA Chikkanna near the chamber of Mayadevi Galagali, who heads the Divisional Urban Development Cell located on the same premises (DC’s office).
When the reporters rushed to the spot and cameras began to roll, Mr. Chikkanna, who had come along with a few members of Sargur Town Panchayat, lamented that officials were neglecting drought-hit H.D. Kote taluk. He said his plea of posting efficient officers in the taluk had been ignored by concerned officials.
Mr. Chikkanna then turned to Ms. Galagali and accused her of bias. “Even though I am an MLA, she refused to accept my phone call. When I call on the landline, I am told that she is in a meeting,” said Mr. Chikkanna. He also claimed that Ms. Galagali was thwarting efforts to bring in efficient officers. He went a step ahead and accused her of “insisting on bribes” for posting officials.
‘I am being harassed’
Ms. Galagali refuted the allegations and complained that Mr. Chikkanna was harassing her.
“The MLA sir knows that I have nothing to do with the posting of officers, yet he is levelling baseless allegations against me. He telephones me repeatedly — 20 to 30 times a day — for the posting of officers of his choice though it is for the deputy commissioner to decide on postings. He is tormenting me and my staff here and not allowing us to work. As a woman, I feel harassed and traumatised,” said Ms. Galagali.
At this juncture Mr. Chikkanna’s supporters raised their voice and shouted at the official to “speak properly” and repeated the charges against her.
Ms. Galgali went back to her chamber and picked up a letter written by Mr. Chikkanna urging the deputy commissioner to conduct an inquiry against a few members of the Sargur Town Panchayat for fraudulent registration of sites.
“We are conducting an inquiry based on the MLA’s complaint and now he brings the same persons against whom an inquiry is on and creates a ruckus to prevent us from taking any action,” she said.
She added that Deputy Commissioner P.S. Vastrad has been apprised of the situation.
Mr. Chikkanna was stunned into silence but recovered enough to allege that officials were not cooperating with him as he belonged to a Scheduled Tribe community.
