Harmanpreet Kaur in Big Trouble

Harmanpreet Kaur, whose 171* runs innings in the semifinal helped her team storm into the finals of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, is facing a problem to switch her job from her current employer Western Railways, to the Punjab Police; which have offered her the job of a Deputy Superintendent of Police’s (DSP). She was awarded this job after her heroics in the 2017 World Cup. As per reports, she is not being released by Railways, where she worked as an Office Superintendent and is being asked to pay the compensation amount of 27 lakhs before the end of the five-year term. The main reason behind this issue is that Harman had signed a five-year bond when she was employed by the Railways in 2014, as a part of the sports quota, and now she has to shift her job to the Punjab police before the bond expires.

 

Throwing light on this issue, Harman’s father Harmander Singh Bhullar, told ANI, ”She is facing problems in joining her new job, as she had already signed a five-year bond with railways which prohibits her from working elsewhere before the given time. Punjab Police has already finished the medical tests and other formalities of Harmanpreet and has also given her a joining letter.” He also added, “We have asked Railways to cancel her bond as it would be good for her if she works in Punjab as she will be able to stay at home here, with us.”

 

Reportedly, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh requested Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal through a letter to consider Harmanpreet’ s case “on a different level”. He wrote “I would like to request you that the case of Harmanpreet Kaur is different, wherein the condition of the 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 Organization for better career opportunities. If she is not allowed to join as DSP by imposing the bond by the railways, it would be unfair to her rather than rewarding her outstanding performance in cricket.’’

 

In reply to the Punjab Chief Minister’s letter, Western Railway General Manager Anil Kumar Gupta expressed that, “The condition of bond applies for Harmanpreet, regardless if she is moving to a government or private job. Railway Board recruits people under sports quota and there is a condition of five-year bond. In case they want to leave earlier they have to reimburse the salary of five years. If they deposit the amount, they are allowed to go. He also said that Railways will follow the decision made by the Railway Board.”

 

When Harmanpreet was asked about this issue, she said, “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, even though my resignation has not been accepted, nor from Punjab government. I was promoted as an Officer on Special Duty (Sports) in Western Railway after the world cup. But, I told them I want to go home and tendered the resignation. 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 were my last hope and had given me a job when Punjab government had turned down my request (five years ago). I hope, the Railways will not give me the bond waiver so that I can go to my home state.” “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,” added Harmanpreet.

 

When Rekha Yadav was asked, Secretary Railways sports promotion board, she replied “There is a bond condition of five years but given the contribution, Harman has made not only for the country but also for Railways, we had moved her as an exceptional case for her bond period to be reduced to the extent. Out of the five years, we are exempting her from the services she has rendered. It is only for the remaining period that the bond amount, as per rules, will be looked at. That will not be a very big amount", she said when asked about the bond compensation. She also added by saying “For five months she has been away for the Big Bash League, which is a private tournament. So, we had given her a NOC to play for the league, now for that, we do not give leave. She was in a special casual leave. So, it is not a question of her being jobless or being rendered salary less".

 

After seeing this issue, we hope it will get sorted as early as possible, to let Harmanpreet concentrate on cricket, and give her optimal performance for India in the next three months, against strong teams like SA, Australia and England.