BENGALURU: A day after lower-rank officials from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) Advertisement and Revenue department had given a representation seeking mass transfer due to alleged harassment by Assistant Commissioner K Mathai, BBMP Commissioner G Kumar Naik, issued him a notice and sought an explanation in this regard.
Officials such as first-division assistant, second-division assistant, revenue officer, revenue inspector and manager from the department approached Naik on Monday and asked him to consider the transfer.
“Today, we came to know that the BBMP Commissioner has sent a notice as there were complaints from women employees too. The women have complained about Mathai using abusive language. The commissioner has asked him why he used such abusive language,” said Babu, President, BBMP Employees’ Association, said.
The agitating employees in the department concerned where Mathai works have said the harassment was intolerable as Mathai had sent dozens of notices to employees for questioning him. “If no action is taken against him, we will launch an agitation,” Babu said.
Mathai Reacts
K Mathai said that he had anticipated such a move in the Palike as he was against the advertisement mafia.
“I have been given a notice and I will reply accordingly. I have no one to fear as I have all the records,” he said.
Mathai also said he had been informed about the
employees planning another strategy to project him in
bad light by creating false cases.
“Now, the employees say that I abused IAS-rank officers, this is to turn even the high-ranking officials against me,” he said.
The BBMP Commissioner said the employees have complained about this issue, “In future, notices may be slapped with regard to complaints,” G Kumar Naik said.
Mayor plays peacemaker
BBMP Mayor N Manjunath Reddy, who also received complaints, summoned both the warring factions and tried to make them patch things up. “All that the BBMP wants is revenue and through this department if the Palike gets even `300 crore a year, it will help the Palike a lot. In the interest of the public, the officer has been asked to be humble with his workers and his employees were also taken into confidence to cooperate with him. These efforts will continue until everything is settled,” said Reddy.