Singham vs Pushpa: UP-cadre IPS officer’s activities in West Bengal sparks row

KOLKATA, April 28: Uttar Pradesh-cadre IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, warning potential troublemakers of “appropriate treatment” if they try to disrupt Wednesday’s polling in West Bengal, created a fresh political dust-up with the TMC accusing the EC-appointed police observer of overstepping his role and “intimidating” party workers.With over a hundred armed central paramilitary troops, an armoured vehicle, and a list of potential “trouble makers” in his pocket, the 2011-batch IPS combed the South 24 Parganas district’s Falta Assembly seat under TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s backyard of Diamond Harbour parliamentary constituency for two days on a trot.
The Prayagraj ACP, who earned the moniker ‘Singham’ for his crackdown on criminals, faced protests by Trinamool Congress supporters who raised ‘Jai Bangla’ in front of the residence as well as the election office of local TMC candidate Jahangir Khan, officials said.
Reacting to the development, TMC candidate Khan alluded to the Telugu-language action film ‘Pushpa’ and the Bollywood cop movie ‘Singham’ to say he would not allow “BJP-appointed police officials to threaten voters”.“This is Bengal; if he is ‘Singham’, I am ‘Pushpa’. No amount of threat or coercion by the BJP-appointed police officials from Uttar Pradesh will be allowed in Falta,” he said on Tuesday. “They came with forces and tried to pressure my people and me. Such actions are not acceptable in a democratic system.” Eyewitnesses said that Sharma had visited the TMC candidate’s house late on Monday night and said that the authorities would take “firm and immediate steps” if there were reports of voter intimidation.
A poll panel official said Sharma visited the area after the EC received reports that Khan’s men were allegedly collecting voter identity cards from people in the constituency and threatening them.The protestors, however, termed those allegations “lies” and demanded that Sharma furnish “proof of voter intimidation”. Officials said Sharma is among the 95 observers deployed by the Election Commission to ensure free and fair polling in the second phase.
Labelled an “encounter specialist” and a ‘Dabangg’ (daredevil) police officer, Sharma was seen in a viral video landing up at Khan’s doorstep on Monday and warning people of strict action if anyone tried to resort to violence and intimidation on the day of the polls.PTI could not verify the veracity of the video. (PTI)