The Congress party has launched a sharp attack on the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), accusing it of engaging in what it calls a 'political musical chair' with senior officials who are facing serious corruption allegations. The opposition party is demanding immediate transparency from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the status of these officials.
Congress Spokesperson Demands Answers from PM Modi
Senior Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera spearheaded the charge, directing pointed questions at the Prime Minister. Khera insisted that Narendra Modi must come out clean and provide a clear public explanation about the current professional standing of one of the officials in question, Ashwini Kumar Joshi. The controversy centers on whether Joshi, who is under a cloud of graft allegations, is being moved from his position.
Khera specifically questioned if Joshi is in the process of being replaced by another official, Sehgal. By raising this, the Congress aims to highlight alleged inconsistencies and a lack of accountability in the handling of sensitive appointments within the central government, especially when integrity is under scrutiny.
The Core Allegation: Rotating Tainted Officials
The crux of the Congress's accusation is the practice of shuffling officials who face credible corruption charges between different posts instead of taking decisive disciplinary action. This 'musical chair' analogy implies that the problem is not solved but merely relocated, potentially undermining governance and public trust.
The party's statement, made on 26 December 2025, seeks to put the government on the defensive regarding its commitment to a corruption-free administration. The demand for clarity is not just about individual cases but is framed as a test of the government's overall transparency in matters of probity.
Political Repercussions and the Demand for Accountability
This development is likely to fuel further political debate in Parliament and public discourse. The Congress, by taking this stance, positions itself as holding the government accountable on one of its key promised pillars – the eradication of corruption.
The lack of a clear statement from the PMO on the specific status of Ashwini Kumar Joshi following these allegations allows the opposition to keep the pressure on. This incident underscores the ongoing political tussle where appointments and allegations against bureaucrats become focal points for larger debates about governance and ethics.
As of now, the ball is in the government's court to respond to these direct questions. The public and political observers will be watching closely to see if an official clarification is forthcoming or if the silence will be interpreted as an admission of the alleged 'musical chairs' practice.
