Niranjan Arya has the distinction of being the first-ever dalit chief secretary of Rajasthan. Now after more than three years of retirement, he feels the pinch of being from dalit community.
Addressing a conference of officers from scheduled caste, he narrates the discrimination a dalit officer even at the top level faces in the society. He said that there is a big difference between ground reality and the solidarity which we come across in books and speeches.
“Who will get the file, who will get the post and who will sit in which interview, is all decided on caste lines. Nothing has changed. There is landlessness for dalits everywhere,” he said.
Failed to get possession of land even after fighting for over a year
Taking a dig at administration, he said that a piece of land in his native place is in illegal possession of upper caste community, who has captured it from his (Arya's) grandfather over a meagre loan of Rs 50-100.
“I had been collector of five districts. No one told me. Now after retirement I came to know about it. I had been IAS officer, rose to the top post of chief secretary, even then I am not able to vacate that land for last one year,” Arya said.
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Pain after retirement
Sharing one of his experiences, Arya said, “I went to a lawyer in connection with a case after retiring from the chief secretary. The lawyers belonged to an upper caste. Half the influence was automatically cut as I was a retired officer,” he said, “on the first day, the lawyer welcomed me with tea and biscuits. He also came out at the gate to see me off. When I went for the second time, the lawyer asked me about my rank in IAS? I said what does this have to do with my case? I am already retired,” Arya said.
However Arya cleared his misunderstanding and told he that he had secured 380th rank.
“I belonged to Ambedkar, that's why I could become an IAS,” Arya said candidly.
After that incident Arya said that there was a difference of day-night in lawyer's behaviour.
“When I went after that, he never came out to see me off,” he told
Vivek Shukla is a management graduate who has worked in corporate worked for 20 years and is now pursuing his passion — news.
