Reshma lakhani IRS

Reshama Lakhani IRS ( Customs and central excise) director general of OPM) --

Recently there is a viral news in social media that being a Muslim, she entered into Shri Jaganath Temple complex, Puri. A complain has been lodged against her to register FIR. Accordingly the central government employees news has verified about such viral news. Background- Ms. Reshama Lakhani IRS , While she was commissioner, Central Excise Cochin ,the Commissioner-ate celebrated the Onam festival at the Headquarters Office . Onam is a harvest festival of the state of Kerala and is associated with the harvest post monsoon. Onam was celebrated in the Commissionerate under the leadership of the Commissioner Ms.Reshma Lakhani and included various traditional events such as the Pookalam (Flower Carpet), Pulikali (Dance form based on the human recreation of the movement of tigers to a rhythm) Uriyadi (breaking the pot), Vadam Vali (Tug of war) etc. The events were followed by a sumptuous traditional Kerala vegetarian lunch served on a Banana Leaf. Ms. Reshama Lakhani dressed like a Hindu woman.

One Shri HK Mohapatra IRS ( promotee)was working with her at Surat, while she was principal Commissioner, CGST, Surat. He has high regards for her.He was telling that Madam, who was working as principal Commissioner that time shouted at her ADC/Admn, when she came to know that only DR Group A officers were invited for a get-together and promotee officers were not invited. Ultimately she did not attend that get-together. It shows as to how she likes her sub ordinates.What Mr.Unnikrishnan the ex President of All India Federation of central excise Inspectors says about her-“Ms.Reshama Lakhan was a popular efficient bold commissioner of customs and and central excise,while at Cochin.She learnt to drive bullet and had the habit of roaming on bike.

No abuse or misuse of departmental vehicle s or position was heard in her term.

As a consultant I,had appeared before her and she had boldly dropped service tax demands very judiciously and honestly,which rarely happens in recent years. No doubt she is a very nice lady “.

Now every where in social media it is discussed that (she tried to enter into the premises of lord Shri Jaganath Temple, Puri despite the request of one Superintendent for not to enter into the temple. The superintendent was transferred to a difficult place of posting and a FIR has been booked against her.She has also requested the Chief Commissioner to take action against the superintendent). But from a very reliable source it has come to know that actually no letter has been received from her by CC. The superintendent has not been transferred from Puri.

The letter which is viral in social media has not been actually received neither in CC office nor in DGP office. It is totally a rumor that the superintendent who cautioned her for not to visit Shri Jaganath Temple has been transferred. Actually Ms. Reshama Lakhani did not want to visit inside Shri Jaganath Temple, Puri but she wanted to have a darshan of Patitapaban from the back side of Aruna Stamba and take photographs of the temple from that spot, which is allowed to non Hindus. Thus she was not at all interested to enter into Shri Jaganath Temple,Puri . However from her recent activities it can be construed to mean that she is very much interested to know in details about Hinduism.

Many times people talk about Reshma Lakhani .Over half a million aspirants compete ruthlessly for the civil service exams each year and less than a few hundred make it. For those that do make it, women constitute a minority, and an even smaller number of women actually climb the ranks during their career.

Lakhani however, takes great pride in being a minority statistic. Over the course of her career, her work with the Indian Revenue Service has seen her posted in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Baroda Cochin, DRI and now in DGPRM.

Perched on her Royal Enfield motorcycle and armed with a gun (a constant source of shock and awe when she attends Jamati meetings).

Thus the viral message of social media about her ( trying entertaining into temple)appears to be not correct. Advocate of Puri Shri Priyadarshini Pattnaik, convener of Shri Jaganath Sena submitted a complain to lodge FIR against Ms. Reshama Lakhani alleging that she by MIS utilizing her power tried to enter into the Shri Jaganath temple complex and as one officer objected he was transferred to a difficult place of posting. But Police is registering the FIR on the basis of such complain because on priliminary inquiry the police found that she didn’t enter into the temple hence there is no violation. As per CCTV ,In the gate of the beginning of the queue the police asked her id as usual and after verification of the id, the police refused for the entry and advised her to go to back side of Arun stamba. Neither the range officer nor the protocol officer was transferred. Hence there is no evidence to lodge the FIR. Viral news are totally fake news.Finally Francis Rodrigues of Goa has observed that —“It's making a mountain of a mole hill.If she is an officer who observes the plurality of cultures and religion,there seems some elements trying to make an issue where she tried to give due respect to the traditions and religious beliefs being a person hailing from a minority community -“