Appointment of N Ramachandran as DGP
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Several prominent NGOs have severely criticised the State Government for trying to appoint an IPS officer who has not served in the State as the full fledged DGP of the State police.
This criticism against the Government has come at a time when the State Security Commission (SSC) is scheduled to meet this week for appointment of the full fledged DGP which is long over due.
There is a strong indication that the Government has already made up its mind to appoint Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of Assam, N Ramachandran as new DGP here.
The appointment of Ramachandran who is from the 1978 batch would mean the State Government is by passing two other senior IPS officers who are serving in the State, namely Kulbir Krishan (1976 batch) and present acting DGP Prem Singh (1977).
Apart from the three IPS officers, the State Government had also empanelled Subhash Goswami (1977 batch) and JN Choudhury (1978 batch) who are eligible for appointment to the post of the DGP. It is learnt that JN Chowdhury who is currently attached to the IB is not keen to take up this assignment.
KSU general secretary Hamlet Dohling said that the Government should give preference to those officers who have served in the State to head the police force in Meghalaya.
“It is really demoralising for all those officers who have served in the state if the Government continues to ignore and isolate them, ” Dohling said while adding that the Government cannot deny the fact that officers who have served in the State have a better understanding
of the ground realities pertaining to the law and order situation in the State.
“There is no justification in appointing officers from outside the State as the DGP,” he said.
While echoing the same views, FKJGP general secretary Joe Marwein said that it is not acceptable for the Government to appoint an IPS officer from Assam to the post of the DGP.
“I do not think that the officers from the State are incapable of heading the State police. The fact is that the officers from the State are better equipped to handle the law and order situation since they are familiar with the ground realities,” Marwein said.
CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said that the Government wanted to have a DGP who would only act only as a dummy adding that it is because of this they are appointing a DGP from outside the State.
“The Government would not like to appoint an IPS officer who would take action on the various illegal activities which are going on especially on the illegal toll gates which are present along the NH-62,” she said
The Government had earlier appointed SB Kakati as the DGP who is also from Assam, Kharshiing said while adding that Kakati has done nothing substantial for the upliftment for the State police.
“He (Kakati) has come to the State only to play golf,” CSWO president added.
Meanwhile, ICARE president Toki Blah has a different take on this whole issue.
Blah who himself is a former IAS officer said that it is the prerogative of the Chief Minister to appoint the Chief Secretary or the DGP.
“I do not think seniority is an issue. The Government has the liberty to appoint a DGP from outside the State since we have a joint cadre with Assam,” he said while adding that the Government would like to appoint an officer who is effective and capable.
When asked if the IPS officer serving in the State would have better idea of the law and order situation in the State, he said that this is a valid point. “But since Assam has similar issues of law and order problems, an officer from that State (Assam) would have the capability to handle any given situation,” the ICARE president added.