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Punjab DGP cannot
even transfer an SHO
Read to see how his self respect is merely a rumour
WSN Network
CHANDIGARH: Sometimes it takes just one incident to underline and
bring out the total caving in of the set modes of functioning of a
society. In Punjab, a mere transfer of a small cog in the police
system, an SHO or a DSP, has been bringing out the flaws the size of
Indian Ocean in the way the police force has been turned into a hand
maiden of politicians.
R S Khatra, a police officer, is a blue-eyed boy of Akali Dal
president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who himself is clearly an extra
Constitutional center of power in Punjab, a fact not even denied by
his supporters lest it takes away from the illegal sheen that he has
earned. And he has been having a tiff with his super boss, none
other than the head of the state polcie force, NPS Aulakh. In a
rather blatant case, DGP Aulakh was forced to order transfer of a
very junior polcie officer working under Khatra, but Khatra point
blank refused to carry out the orders.
It was not Khatra's turn to be smarting under some action. Rather it
was the DGP who was running from pillar to post -- pillar these days
is Sukhbir Badal and the post is held by Parkash Singh Badal -- to
save his self-respect, already merely a rumour. Aulakh was even
forced to go and meet the Chief Secretary in person to argue that
his order transferring Mullanpur Garibdas SHO, a very junior police
officer, should have been implemented, and at least Khatra should
not have been allowed to mete out public humiliation upon him by
disobeying oenly.
SO much so that one stage, Aulkah was ready to resign. But Sukhbir
Badal remained adamant, Khatra stayed at his post, till he happened
to pick up another dirty squabble in public in full view of several
byestanders with Ness Wadia, a companion of film actress Priety
Zeinta and well known industrialist himself.
It was due to this mess that Khatra created that he was finally
asked to go, though the Badals came to Khatra's defence even in this
case and have made it clear that Khatra's removal had nothing to do
with the bruised ego of Ness Wadia.
Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal agreed that politicians are
dictating terms in transfer and posting of officers and meddling
with the police functioning but teh fact is that even during her
party's regime, the situation was no different. In fact, there is an
irony of sorts built into the way things are going: the police have
become a force unto itself, and select politicians have become
patrons of such wayward police officers to derive benefit from even
the breakdown.
Sukhbir Badal, of course adamant at seeing all the virtues in the
police force just as he sees his father as the epitome of all that
is good and gracious in the world, said the state police has been
working "in an absolutely free and transparent manner and there is
no question of politicisation of the police force." Thankfully, even
his father does not utter inanities like this anymore, though he may
with some effort.
11
June,
2008
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