IRS Association anguished and hurt at former Colleague Arvind Kejriwal's remarks
'I was a Commissioner in Income Tax. An ordinary IT inspector normally makes Rs 1 crore in a year. As Commissioner, I could have made crores and travel in a car fitted with beacon light. But I left service, and decided to serve the nation'
- Aam Aadmi Party Chief and former Income Tax Additional Commissioner Arvind Kejriwal is said to have remarked in an interview.
First of all Arvind Kejriwal was never a Commissioner - he left the job as an Additional Commissioner and even today his batch-mates have not become Commissioners. Why then should he claim to have been a Commissioner? Incidentally his wife still works in the Income Tax Department. Does he allege that she also earns crores and travels in car with beacons?
The IRS Association has conveyed its strong anguish and hurt at his remarks, which cast aspersion on the whole of the Department including every employee. The Association reminds him that no department or organization is corrupt or honest; it is the individuals of the department or organization who may be so. The IRS Association strongly feels that corruption, whether in the Income-tax Department, or any other organisation or in politics should be eliminated, but does not support defaming and maligning the entire personnel of a Department.
The Association informs that the Income-tax Department is a front line Department of the Government of India who, by the efforts of its personnel and aid of modern technology, has not only increased Revenue mobilization manifold for the Nation, but also introduced transparency to a great extent for better governance. The excellence of its computerization modules have been recognized and honoured with various national awards. The Indian Revenue Service is, therefore one of the best Central Services in the country today. Therefore, the Association feels that the statements being made by Arvind Kejriwal are unnecessarily damaging the image of this fine service.