CM’s axe may fall on senior police officers

ALLAHABAD: Like the Barabanki DM who was suspended on the charge of dereliction of duty a few days back, chief minister Mayawati’s axe may fall on some of higher police officers in this district, according to a highly placed source in the state capital.
Reportedly, the chief minister’s office has received several complaints through fax against these police officers.Some of the BSP leaders have taken exception to the burning of Mayawati’s effigy in front of the City SP office here on July 9, during the traders bandh and have complained to her in writing.
The event has shocked many police and administrative officers. “To burn the effigy of the CM or anybody else is a cognizable offence under Section 6 of the U P Special Power Act, 1932,� a senior police officer preferring anonymity, said.
This was the first time that the an effigy of the chief minister and that too of “Behenjee� was burnt infront of the office of a superintendent of Police. None of the police officers present on the spot tried to prevent it, he added.
This incident has become a topic of discussion, especially among political groups. A BJP office-bearer disdainfully said the city belongs to Dr Joshi and ‘Panditji’ (Kesri Nath Tripathi), (therefore) no interference of Mayawati will be tolerated. On the other hand, local BSP leaders were feeling let down by the indifferent attitude of the police and district officials who allegedly prefer the BJP to the BSP. Incidently, Mayawati has not visited the city since she took charge as the CM. It is being touted as a ‘compromise between Mayawati and a BJP stalwart.’
Trapped between ‘devil and the deep sea,’ the locals have to face another problem for the redressal of grievances regarding law and order. Nobody listens to anybody in the police department, said another police officer. “It is now an open secret that there are two lobbies in the police department. One is protected and patronised by the top BJP leaders and another owes its llegiance to Mayawati, he said. Station officers, inspectors and even the constables are in a fix regarding allegiance to a particular lobby, he said.
Incidentally, the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that there is often a tussle among the two lobbies over claiming credit for nabbing criminals or doing ‘good work,’ besides the matter of transfers and postings, whose reports surface in the media. Insubordination and victimisation by opposite lobby is commonplace.