Western Railway Demand Rs 27 Lakh From Harmanpreet Kaur

Not very long ago, Harmanpreet Kaur was the toast of the entire nation after her monumental 171-run innings helped India to storm into the final of last year’s World Cup in England.

Kaur did not enjoy the best of starts in the World Cup, managing just 77 runs in the first six games. However, she regained her devastating form when it mattered the most. She roared back to form in the do-or-die clash against New Zealand, scoring 60 to help India win the match by a whopping margin of 186 runs and qualify for the semifinal.

But the hard-hitting batswoman had saved her best for the then defending champions Australia in the semifinals as she slammed an outstanding unbeaten 171 runs off just 115 deliveries which were studded with 20 fours and seven well-timed sixes. Even in the final, she scored 51 with the help of three fours and two sixes but could not take the Women in Blue home as England managed to come out on top in the thrilling clash at Lord’s.

Her heroic display made her a household name as she was flooded with cash rewards and awards. She was also conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award.

But few months after those memorable moments, the India women team’s star has found herself in an unwanted situation over her job switch from her current employer, the Western Railway, to the Punjab Police, which offered her the DSP’s post in July last year following her World Cup heroics.

The 28-year old, who is the first India to play in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League, is not being relieved by the by the Western Railway, where she worked as an Office Superintendent since 2014. Harmanpreet had got the Railway job under the sports quota, and now a five-year bond signed by her then is being cited by her current employer as the reason behind not relieving her.

Harmanpreet has revealed that she had not been paid any salary for last five months, despite Western Railway not accepting her resignation which she tendered after Punjab government offered her the job of DSP. The Western Railway is demanding a whopping amount of Rs 27 lakh to give Harmanpreet the clearance to join Punjab police.

“After the World cup, it has been five months that I have not been paid any salary. I am jobless. I am neither getting any salary from Railway nor from Punjab government,” Harmanpreet told The Indian Express.

The news outlet further claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has taken up the matter with the Union Railway Ministry on more than one occasion to seek relaxation for Harmanpreet. On Monday, the Politician had once again written to the Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

“I would like to request you that the case of Ms Harmanpreet Kaur is different wherein the condition of bond should not apply as she is not leaving the government for a private job. Rather she is joining the state government from a Central Government Organisation for better career prospects. If she is not allowed to join as DSP by imposing the bond by the Railways, it would be unfair to her and amount to punishing rather than rewarding her outstanding performance in Cricket,” he said in his letter.

On the other hand, Western Railway General Manager Anil Kumar Gupta justified Railway’s stance, saying:

“Railway Board recruits people under sports quota and there is a condition of five year bond. In case they want to leave earlier (than five years) they have to reimburse the salary of five years. If they deposit the amount, they are allowed to go.”

When told about Punjab Chief Minister writing to Union Railway Minister to seek relaxation for Harmanpreet, Gupta said the Railways would go by the decision of Railway Board in the case.

Gupta further said that he has no knowledge of any other individual getting a similar relaxation in the past.

“Not in my knowledge. As far as my knowledge and whatever information we have got from Railway, there is no such precedent,” he said.

Harmanpreet further revealed that she declined a promotion from the Railways.

“They promoted me after learning that I had got an offer from Punjab government. But, I told them that I wanted to go home,” said Harmanpreet.

She also rued that for first one month, her resignation file was ‘not moved by the Sports Officer’ of Western Railway to whom she submitted her resignation, and in the second month, they raised the issue of bond.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to some reporter (to raise the issue), but thought that I should not be mistaken as if I am speaking against the Railways. Railways was my last hope and had given me a job when Punjab government had turned down my request. I hope, the Railways will give me bond waiver so that I can go to my home state,” said Harmanpreet.

“I think there is a rule that bond gets shifted when you change one government job to other. Punjab Chief Minister has taken up my case for three to four times, but nothing has happened so far,” she added.

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