Rajasthan Director General for Police (DGP) H.C. Meena has gone on leave till the completion of the elections following indications that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) could remove him from office. The police officer, the younger brother of Union Minister of State for Finance Namo Narayan Meena, has kept open his options about joining politics after his superannuation in 2014.
But Meena sent his leave application on Monday citing personal reasons. “Yes, I have gone on leave,” he told India Today.
Meena had a confrontation with the CEC on deployment of Central Reserve Police Force in all booths in seven districts. He said police could manage these booths.
The CEC was insisting for a larger deployment of CRPF.
The BJP too demanded Meena’s removal two weeks ago alleging he was influencing his tribal community in favour of the Congress.
Sources said CEC V.S. Sampath, who visited Jaipur on October 26, was upset with the DGP’s stand against deployment of CRPF in seven districts.
While reports from collectors and superintendents of police were apprehending problems during polling in the region dominated by the Meena community where large-sale booth capturing is common, the DGP had last week sent his own report taking a counter stand.
He claimed the polling could be conducted peacefully using police with little assistance from paramilitary.
The region in and around Bharatpur, Alwar, Dausa, Swaimadhopur,Dholpur, Karauli and Jaipur has lot of population of tribal Meena who are politically powerful.
These districts also have Gurjar population who are in conflict with Meenas.
While Meenas are Scheduled Tribes, they oppose Gurjars’ demand of getting this reservation status.
Earlier, Chief Secretary C.K. Mathew too had proceeded on leave on October 16 after the BJP alleged he was pressurising officers to show results on populist schemes before polling on December 1.
The BJP had also accused Mathew of rushing through to finalise a tender worth Rs.4000 crore in favour of a company linked to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s family.
src: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rajasthan-elections-dgp-hc-meena-too-goes-on-leave/1/320631.html