Gujarat CM takes offence to Chidambaram instigating errant police officers against his alt145progressivealt39govt
OUR BUREAU New Delhi Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday shot off a strongly- worded letter to
the Prime Minister, urging him to restrain and discipline Home Minister P Chidambaram openly ” encouraging indiscipline among the police officers of Gujarat.” In a 3- page letter released by the BJP headquarters here, Modi took offence to Chidambarams invite to the errant officers to seek the Centres help and made it clear that ” such blatant statements by Central Ministers will destroy the very fabric of the Federal structure.” ” The Centre cannot intervene in the cases that fall under the jurisdiction of the state. The police officers are to discipline the society and in discharge of their duties they are supposed to set up high standards,” Modi asserted.
” It is surprising that an officer who was absent from duty continuously for 10
months unauthorisedly is being defended by the Union Government. Any misconduct, dereliction of duty and recalcitrant behaviour of the officers cannot be tolerated, failing which it will lead to anarchy in Government,” he warned.
He urged the Prime Minister to view this matter very seriously and issue appropriate instructions ” so that such incidents are not repeated in future, in the interest of a healthy Centre- State relationship.” Modi noted that ” when the Union Government comes out in open supporting such in- disciplined conduct of an All India Service Officers, it should be a matter of concern for the entire nation.” In other words, he said ” one is indirectly encouraging the political activities by Service Officers.” He said looking at the series of such incidents in the last two years, ” there seems to be a definite pattern of conspiracy in meddling with Gujarats affairs. Such selective interference is a cause for major concern, as it goes against constitutional principles.
” Unfortunately, it appears that UPA government at the Centre is a party to these activities, in one way or other, with a strong hidden agenda to destabilise a progressive and performing State like Gujarat. I firmly believe that you cannot build a strong India by destabilising and weakening progressive and development oriented States in a Federal structure. At any cost, we should not convert these constitutional arms as political battle- fields by misusing them.” Pointing out that the role of the Disciplinary Authority is vested in the State Governments in the Federal structure under the All India Service Act and Rules, Modi affirmed that ” no authority, including the Central Government, can usurp these powers” and if the officers have any grievances on the issue of actions being taken by the State Government, they can represent to the State Government, or can take a legal recourse by approaching CAT, High Court, Supreme Court, etc.”
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