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Improve law and order or face transfer: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan to MP police, bureaucrats
In the last one week, three girls allegedly committed suicide after police reportedly delayed action on their complaints regarding sexual harassment.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday warned police and bureaucrats over video conference to improve law and order situation in the state within a week or face transfers. The CM shared footage of the video conference with commissioners, district collectors and police top brass on his Twitter account.
“Mujhe shabd nahin chahiye, parinaam chahiye. Mein saat din samay de raha hun. Mein phir video conferencing karoonga. Action, action, action (I don’t want words, but results. I am giving seven days. I will talk to you again through video conferencing. I want action, action, action),” the CM is heard saying in the footage.
A senior police officer who attended the meeting said this was the first instance of the CM taking such a hard line with officials and then making it public through social media.
“The CM was fuming over a spurt in cases of sexual harassment in Bhopal and other parts of the state,” added the officer, who did not want to be named.
In the last one week, three girls allegedly committed suicide after police reportedly delayed action on their complaints regarding sexual harassment.
“The CM said criminals should shudder. No stalker should be spared. This has to come to an end and police can do it,” said the officer.
“Aaj mein ye sidhe nirdesh de raha hun. Saare IG aur SP, collector aur commissioner sath milkar campaign chalayen. Apradhiyon ki kamar toden. Arthik kamar tod do jaise Bhopal aur Indore mein start kia hai (I am giving direct instructions to IGs, SPs, commissioners and collectors to launch a drive together to hit criminals hard. Attack their sources of revenue, as has been started in Indore and Bhopal),” the CM is heard saying in the footage.
The opposition Congress was unimpressed by the CM’s stand and described it as a BJP ruse with an eye on the state polls expected later this year. “Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been ruling the state as chief minister for the past 12 years and now he is asking the police to act. In reality, he has admitted his failure,” said Congress spokesperson KK Mishra.
State BJP chief spokesperson Deepak Vijayvargiya said the CM’s move was praiseworthy. “His words should not be misinterpreted that there is a bad law and order situation... The video conferencing was a part of his effort to instil a sense of confidence in people, particularly women.”
Senior BJP leader Hitesh Vajpayee said, “The CM is trying to create terror among goons.”
