Opposition alleges vindictive transfers, stages walkout in Assembly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition on Wednesday staged a walkout in the Assembly, accusing the government of transferring employees unfairly and with a vindictive motive. Responding on behalf of the Chief Minister, Minister Sunny Joseph denied the allegations and said the government would work cooperatively with employees and would not engage in retaliatory actions.

Presenting an adjournment motion notice, V. Joy alleged that seriously ill employees, those nearing retirement, women employees, and Class IV staff were being transferred to distant locations. He claimed that 207 transfer orders affecting 1,982 employees had been issued in recent days across 33 departments, including 310 women employees and 38 Class IV staff members.

Joy further alleged that employees were transferred even before the new administration formally assumed office. He said six employees in the Education Department were transferred on May 5 based on recommendations from the NGO Association. According to him, employees are being transferred merely on the recommendation of organisation leaders. He also alleged that temporary workers who had served for 10 to 15 years were being dismissed, while those close to the ruling party were being given transfers to locations of their choice.

Rejecting the allegations, Minister Sunny Joseph said no department had witnessed large-scale transfers and that only a limited number of transfers had been carried out for administrative convenience. He added that any genuine complaints regarding transfers would be addressed. The minister also dismissed claims that transfers were made based on requests from pro-government organisations.

According to him, around 200 employees retired from the Secretariat alone, making some transfers necessary. He said that during the previous ten years, many employees had been transferred repeatedly, with some moved more than a dozen times. At the same time, others had remained in the Secretariat for over a decade and needed to be transferred. The minister argued that employees who were denied fair treatment in the past should now receive natural justice. Unsatisfied with the government's response, the Opposition walked out of the Assembly in protest against what it described as unjust transfers. K. Rajan and P.K. Praveen also participated in the discussion.

"Power brokers in the corridors of power": Pinarayi
Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan demanded that transfers made in violation of established norms be cancelled. He said transfers should be transparent, corruption-free, and based on clear criteria, including seniority.

Pinarayi warned that allowing vested interests to influence administrative decisions would harm public interest. He said that if such practices continued, power brokers and middlemen would dominate the corridors of power.

"This must be corrected. Such actions cannot be justified in the name of a change in government," he said.