NEW DELHI: Politics of convenient had a big hand in the “shabby treatment” meted out to thee Punjab police chief, K.P.S. Gill, according to the CPI(M) general secretary, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, who has Often backed the much-loved, much hated top cop, “The way Gill, who has put his life ‘on the line in the fight against militancy, was made to retire was totally wrong,” said a visibly annoyed Surjeet, who himself is from Punjab find has been involved In the fight against militancy in the state.
The Marxist leader said the DGP was cased out of his post because the Leadership of the state Congress(t) wanted to have a firmer grip on the Punjab police at the time of the Lok Sabha elections.
“For long, there has boon massive pressure from Congressmen in the state to remove Gill, If he was there, the ruling party would not be able to transfer policemen to it convenience at the time of the polls.”
More, the Marxist leader said that ‘with Gill being in firm charge of the Slate police, it would be difficult for the Congress(I) to win many Lok Sabha seats.
“Is this the way to ease Kim out? On the evening of new year’s eve he is made to retire without even giving hint a few weeks to wind up?” Surjeet said, adding that such a step would not do good for the state police force’s moral. “Gill inspired a demoralized police force in the days of militancy and curbed extremism to a large extent.”
Surjeet denied he had been interested in backing the ex-DGP for another extension. He said: “Basically, Tam not for continued service, very few exceptions apart.” But in a stinging criticism of the government’s policy of extensions, the CPI(M) chief said that while the ex-DGP, who did not have any failures, was not given another extension, officials like V.K. Jain (special secretary in the home ministry) have got several extensions.
Surjeet, who has played a key role getting the Punjab police chief three extensions since 1991, said that Gill ‘was pulled out when he had just succeeded in nabbing important suspects: in the Beant Singh assassination case and had recovered large amounts of RDX in the state.
“He was preparing for the prime minister’s visit to Patiala when he was made to quit,” said an unhappy Surjeet. Interestingly, the Left leader, while admitting excesses were committed by Gill’s men, pooh-poohed questions of the Punjab police’s much+ criticized human rights record and took a view cannily similar to the BJP’s tough stand on the issue. “What human rights? Killing a militant, who has Killed dozens of in now cents, in any manner is fine with me, I have no sympathy for him (the militant),” Surjeet praised Gill as being a “most secular man” who had earned the support of many Hindus. .
Article extracted from this publication >> January 10, 1996
