‘Locals well versed to deal with militancy, unrest’
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 24: Jammu and Kashmir cadre of Indian Police Service (IPS) is more than five decades old. If still top echelons of State bureaucracy nurse even the feeblest doubt about their integrity or professional efficiency, it would be a reflection either on the institution of the IPS or on the pragmatism and fairness of the bureaucracy. The State cadre IPS officers, who put their lives at stake during over two decades long militancy and had miraculous escape in many militant attacks, deserved to head the force than any outsider to ensure that hard earned peace was not only maintained but carried on for the future.
These were the common views of many former senior police officers of Jammu and Kashmir, who had openly batted for an IPS officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre for the post of Director General of Police (DGP), which would fall vacant on May 31 this year with the retirement of Kuldeep Khoda after over five years distinguished services as the State police chief.
Though the Union Home Ministry has forwarded a panel of three officers to the State Government for appointment as the new DGP in place of Mr Khoda, the State was also considering the J&K cadre officers for the coveted post. K Rajendera, Additional DGP Armed and Law and Order and Vigilance Commissioner Pitambar Lal Gupta are 1984 batch IPS officers of J&K cadre, who were the senior most in police hierarchy after Mr Khoda.
Security experts and former police officers of J&K were of the view that the finest example of J&K Police cadres providing class leadership, more than what would be commensurate with the exigencies of situation on the ground, can be found in the example of outgoing DGP Kuldeep Khoda and, prior to him, in former Vigilance Commissioner, Dr Ashok Bhan. Police echelons in other turmoil-stricken areas in the country could emulate their examples.
“A major shortcoming with Delhi policy planners handling Kashmir issue at political level has been their limited or fractured knowledge of the land, topography, physical as well as social anthropology and above all the psyche of the people. Scant attention is paid to understanding the elements gone into the construction of mindset of the people. This input is sought from extraneous instruments like mugging up enormous printed stuff, books and journals, and plethora of official notes and commentaries. But the fact is that true knowledge and understanding come from linkages to the soil, something which will not accept a substitute’’, the experts said.
They observed that selection of the new chief cop for J&K is not and has not to be a matter of routine left to the fanciful discretion of mandarins. The selection cannot be allowed to get bogged with stereotypes. For unusual exigencies unusual decisions and measures are required, they said.
“The cadres that have fought on the ground against organized and highly trained terrorists, made priceless sacrifices, won laurels and delivered the beleaguered civil society from the clutches of cannibals cannot be denied its due when the day of acknowledging their services comes’’, the experts said, adding “it was unfortunate that simple factors strong enough to espouse the cause of the cadres have been turned and twisted with ill-advised objective of disallowing the next in hierarchy his natural claim and right. Thirty years plus of active service, out of which 20 years have been spent in fighting terrorism and mass violence, wrathful public protests and demonstrations, and still maintaining the dignity and honour of the forces, cannot be disregarded and brushed aside. This is also a matter of public domain and not of bureaucratic preserve. Doing so sends a wrong message down the line’’.
The experts were of the view that militancy in the State has come down but not vanished.
“From across the border, there are full preparations for fomenting trouble in the State and the country. Pakistan Army has created a frontline force called Lashkar-i-Taiyyaba, with the strength of 2 lakh militiamen. They declared time and again that the organized force is Kashmir centric. Can we lower the guard’’? the experts asked and asserted that in such a condition the State required a dynamic officer having all-round experience of the State not only in dealing with militancy but also winning over the youth by engaging them in different kind of activities and tackling separatists to ensure peace in the Valley and other parts of the State.
Former Additional DGP, Masud Choudhary, who had also served as Vice Chancellor of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, openly batted for two 1984 batch officers—K Rajendera or Pitambar Lal Gupta to head the force after Mr Khoda.
“An outsider won’t be effective. He would at least require two years to familiarize himself completely with over one lakh strong police force, local people, topography and gaining other expertise. Moreover, it were the local police officers, who faced bullets and now when the time has come to eat ‘ladoos’, the Government shouldn’t even think of outsiders. The local cadre officers were safe and best bet for any Government’’, Choudhary said.
Another former ADGP SS Wazir was of the view that though the success as police head depended upon person to person, there were many local cadre officers, who had proved very useful and successful in the Police Department.
Mr Wazir said T R Kalra of 1962 batch, M N Sabherwal of 1964 batch and then A K Suri (New Delhi), Gopal Sharma (Jaipur, Rajasthan), all J&K cadre followed by first local State cadre officer, Kuldeep Khoda have all earned a good name and reputation not only for themselves but for Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Strongly countering the argument of 30 years service for making an IPS officer as head of Police Department, Mr Wazir recalled that SPR Kalaso had only 25 years of service when he headed the force in 1986. Local cadre officers have many plus points as they were well versed with situation, people of the State and all other aspects, he said.
Former IGP SS Bijral said though IPS officers across the country were part of a family and anyone was welcome to head the force, the State cadre officers definitely have the first right to become the DGP of over one lakh force as it were they, who fought along with force during two decades long militancy.
“Local cadre officers had seen entire situation for years together. An outsider had to take time to get acquainted with force as well as local people. As the State was not completely free from militancy, the Government should take no chance and show no laxity. The local officers should be made head of the force so that the militants didn’t get a chance to raise their head once again’’, Mr Bijral said.
“Vital component of fighting militancy is that of winning over the people to your side. Therefore the police have a role beyond the normal desk book role of maintaining law and order. That role cannot be performed by one who would need a year or two to get to know the stuff or the situation he will be dealing with. Cadres are more than trained and experienced in this branch of their assignment. Ranks need to have trust in their leadership, and long association of over three or four decades is an asset with the cadres.
“This type of association cannot be built over-night and at the same time we cannot wait for an indefinite period to build the bridges. Diversity of marked significance in the three regions of the State in addition to sub-regional identities and aspirations are not easy to handle with even handed justice. The sadistic axiom is “set a thief catch a thief”, observed another security expert.
He was of the view that the State Government and particularly the Chief Minister was exuding confidence in his administration to let AFSPA be withdrawn.
“Obvious logic is that the State Government reposed its trust in the police cadres who will be holding the fort once the AFSPA is withdrawn. In this background what justified the Government to accept a non-cadre incumbent? This is a sensitive issue and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) should give due credibility to the State government’s perception. The State government is proud of its cadres when it is ready to accept the challenge whatever that may mean’’, the experts said.
They added that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been appreciative of the cadres in State police force. “Omar understands the importance of the sacrifices they have made and the hardships they have gone through in bringing back normalcy to the State. It is, therefore, in fitness of things that he does not bring something abnormal to the institution which is charged with bringing normalcy to the State’’, they asserted.
“Now that the State is limping back to normal life, thanks to the efforts of the forces and the civilian government, and the state is poised to ensure withdrawal of AFSPA from five districts, it is logical that the local police cadres are given the opportunity of handling the subject of improving situation wisely, patiently and with a humanistic touch. The new police chief would be a success in letter and in spirit if he is equipped with all the pre-requisites scripted the desk book of rules plus a grasp of local conditions, people and behavior’’, the experts observed.
It may be mentioned that the panel finalized by the Ministry of Home Affairs for posting as new DGP and forwarded to the State Government comprised Arun Choudhary, Special Director General in Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Ashok Prasad, Additional Director, Intelligence Bureau and PM Nair, Special Director General (Operations), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Arun Choudhary is 1977 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre and had served as Deputy Director and Joint Director of Intelligence Bureau in Jammu and Kashmir. Ashok Prasad is 1979 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre and was presently posted as Additional Director of IB in J&K, headquartered at Srinagar.
PM Nair is also Bihar cadre officer of 1978 batch and was presently posted as Special DG of CRPF (Operations), New Delhi. He had served as IG CRPF, Jammu during 2005-06.
ADGP Armed and Law and Order K Rajendera and Vigilance Commissioner Pitambar Lal Gupta are both 1984 batch IPS police officers. Mr Rajendera has service till September 2016 and Mr Gupta till August 2015.
Mr Rajendera had served as IGP of both Kashmir and Jammu provinces and dealt with all problems effectively and efficiently. He was also instrumental in devising many strategies successfully for dealing with different kind of unrests. He was seriously injured in a fidayeen attack at the venue of the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, presently Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, at Srinagar in May 2006. He had also served as DIG of Srinagar and Rajouri range.
Pitambar Lal Gupta has also held various prestigious posts like IGP Jammu and SSP Jammu. He had been serving as Vigilance Commissioner for past more than two years.
After Mr Rajendera and Mr Gupta, there were three IPS officers of 1985 batch including Ram Lubaya, Additional DG Security, SK Mishra, who was presently on deputation with the Border Security Force (BSF) and S Gopal Reddy, who was on deputation in Andhra Pradesh. All of them were in the rank of Additional DGPs.
Three IPS officers of Jammu and Kashmir cadre, who were also working as Additional DGPs included Dr Shesh Pal Vaid, ADG Headquarters, Ms D R Doley, Additional DGP Home Guards and Civil Defence and Naveen Aggarwal, Additional DGP Prisons.
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