Bangalore: CM Warns Cops: Don’t Bring Political Pressure for Transfers
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jan 9: Chief Minister D V Sadananada Gowda cracked the whip on Karnataka’s policemen by issuing a stern warning that his Government would not tolerate anybody trying to exert political pressure seeking transfers.
“I have a list of 500 policemen, who had brought political pressure to get transfers to places of their choice,” he said declaring that the Government would not tolerate or show any lenience to policemen trying to bring political pressure to get postings to places of their choice by exerting political pressure.
He was addressing the two-day IPS Officers’ convention in Bangalore on Monday.
Policemen are required to maintain law and order and investigate crimes. They should be prepared to work in any place that their superiors decide in the interest of maintaining law and order situation in the State, he said.
The Chief Minister underscored the need for coordination between police and judiciary to improve conviction rates.
As many as 150 public prosecutors, 4,000 police personnel and 60 forensic officials would be recruited in next six months, Gowda said, adding, there were 10,000 police vacancies in the state.
Voicing his concern over revival of the menace of Naxalism in some districts in the state, he said anti-naxal forces would be geared up to check naxal activities.
Later talking to reporters, he said opposition criticism that BJP ministers were not visiting the secretariat was not completely true.
At the same time, the Chief Minister said there was no need for ministers to be in Vidhana Soudha to ensure functioning of various departments.
The ministers should discharge their duties and be available to the officials and general public on specific days of the week, he said stressing that this would build better rapport between the public and the Government and also help in the smooth functioning of different departments.
The Chief Minister said the ministers should make themselves available for some days in their office while taking care to ensure that they toured the State and also attended to the grievances of their constituents.
It was also wrong to say that the departments were not functioning as the achievement in implementation of budget programmes varied from 60 per cent to 80 per cent so far. It is normal practice in almost all departments to clear pending bills during the last quarter, he said.
However, he said: “I have warned earring officers of dire consequences if they continue to show lethargy in implementation of various welfare programmes.”