Candidates' file for Marathi language body director goes missing

Even as the state government is planning a grand celebration for Marathi Bhasha Diwas on February 27, it has informed the State Information Commission that papers and files recommending names for the post of director and deputy director for Rajya Marathi Vikas Sanstha (RMVS), the apex body in the state for awareness and development of Marathi, have been lost.

What's worse is that the state cannot recompile the file. The revelation comes in the midst of allegations that Marathi Bhasa department minister, Vinod Tawde, chose to appoint his own candidate for the post, overruling a three-member committee's recommendations in March 2015. A temporary director was, however, appointed in 2015.

Anand Bhandare, a Worli resident heading the Marathi Abhyas Kendra, and Umesh Naik from Pune, filed RTI applications to understand what the government did with the recommendations, the names suggested in them, and the reasons why they did not consider them.

Though a lot of the state's politics revolves around the language, RMVS has not seen a permanent director since 2010. "The previous government kept the post vacant, and it is no different now. No one has been appointed on a permanent basis for a post that entails overseeing the language's welfare in the state. I wanted to know whose names were suggested and on what basis the temporary director was selected. They scrapped the recommendation earlier because the person in charge applied for the post when he was not authorised to do so," said Bhandare.

During the hearing, the commission was informed that the files have gone missing from the minister's office. For successive hearings at the commission, when they could not provide information, the government was questioned as to why no FIR was filed. When the commission asked the government to regenerate the file, it wrote to members of the committee. However, the members said they did not have the original, and could not help.

"The government does not seem to be concerned about the post. It is unfortunate that even intellectuals who gave recommendations did not raise the issue. Even if they do not have the original copy, they should come forth and reveal the names," said Bhandare.

When contacted, Tawde said: "The department will comment on the missing file. But the government has appointed meritorious persons for the post in the last two years."

Under scanner

The revelation comes after allegations that Marathi Bhasa department minister, Vinod Tawde, chose to appoint his own candidate for the post.