‘No political interference in dealing with militants’
SHILLONG: Meghalaya police chief Rajiv Mehta has revealed that he is not happy with the performances of his own police personnel fighting insurgents in Garo Hills even as he asserted that there was no political pressure from any quarters while dealing with the militants.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Saturday in the wake of kidnapping of a policeman in Garo Hills and spurt in violent incidents , the DGP said, ” I am not satisfied with their performance, we should try to work hard, I will speak to the SPs in Garo Hills in this regard,” Mehta said.
The DGP said he would visit Garo Hills shortly to meet the SPs of all the districts of Garo Hills to convey to them that they should do more to control the prevailing situation.
“We will have to do better to improve the situation”, Mehta said.
To a question on any political pressure in dealing with the militants, Mehta said, “I will swear by the freedom we enjoy in maintaining law and order without any political interference”.
The affidavit filed by JPN Singh, Director, in charge Northeast, Union Home Ministry before the High Court of Meghalaya recently said that “only when the State government comes up with a concrete action plan to improve law and order, with the full backing of political leadership, there can be significant improvement in law and order situation in a particular state”.
The police chief, however, is not in favour of bringing army to Garo Hills, and said that though it may bring down kidnappings, but aggressive stand of the army may cause harassment to the innocent people.
“What we hope is that we will be able to achieve peace in a gradual way through our policing though it will take a little longer time”.