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Proposal for gallantry medals to cops: MHA seeks ‘correct’ details from Haryana on joint ops with central forces
The proposed move, initiated by the police department, to award gallantry medals to cops for stopping farmers from advancing towards the National Capital has come in for sharp criticism from the farmers’ bodies
The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has sought clarification from the Haryana government on its proposal for the award of gallantry medals to six police officers, including three IPS officers, for showing exceptional courage during the operation to stop protesting farmers at Shambhu and Khanauri inter-state borders in February this year.
The proposed move, initiated by the police department, to award gallantry medals to cops for stopping farmers from advancing towards the National Capital has come in for sharp criticism from the farmers’ bodies.
In a July communication to the state home department, the MHA asked the state government to send the correct information regarding the joint operation conducted by the state police with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) as the proposal did not make a recommendation for the CAPF personnel involved in the action.
“It has been noticed that personnel of Rapid Action Force (RAF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) also participated in the action but were not recommended. A ‘no’ has been mentioned in the question of joint operation,’’ reads the MHA communication questioning the facts submitted by the police department.
The MHA has also asked the state government to furnish combined citations, firing details of all recommendees, and disposal or status of criminal cases against agitators.
As per the October 16, 2023 MHA guidelines governing gallantry medals, in case of joint operation of different units or forces, the role played by them and their personnel must be properly highlighted.
The state government after receiving a recommendation from the director general of police (DGP) had proposed the names of the inspector general of police, Ambala Range, Sibash Kabiraj, the then Ambala superintendent of police (SP) Jashndeep Singh Randhawa, Jind SP Sumit Kumar, all IPS officers, and three Haryana Police Service (HPS) officers, which includes Narender Singh, Ram Kumar and Amit Bhatia, for gallantry medals.
In his proposal to the state government, DGP Shatrujeet Kapur said these officers are being recommended for gallantry medals for their exceptional bravery and leadership during the farmers’ protest so that they work with greater zeal in the future and motivate other cops to follow in their footsteps.
The Punjab and Haryana high court in a July 10 order had nominated Haryana IPS B Satheesh Balan to investigate the first information report (FIR) registered regarding the death of a young farmer, Shubh Karan Singh, during the farmers’ protest at the Khanauri border. The HC said the officer will investigate the FIR keeping in view the observations of a court-appointed committee that Shubh was standing within the revenue estate of Data Singh Wala village in Jind when he was hit by the said bullets at National Highway-44. Thus, the Haryana government would have jurisdiction to investigate the cause of death, the HC said.
The HC order said as per as per a June 28 expert report of the Central Forensics Science Laboratory (regarding evidence obtained in the Shubh Karan case) the pellets under reference were found to have been fired through a shotgun and corresponded to size “1” pellets of shotgun cartridges. The pieces of skin and hair strands under reference have been examined chemically for the presence of firing discharge residues which were duly detected. The said report thus settles some controversy regarding how the deceased met his end, the court said. The forensic examination was conducted to ascertain the type of weapon and bullet/pellet found on the body of deceased Shubh.
Farmers to protest move on August 1
Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar, who heads the Bhartiya Kisan Naujawan Union, said the farmers will hold protests outside DC offices across the country on August 1 against Haryana’s move. “Britishers had also honoured General Dyer for opening fire at Indians. The BJP government is also doing the same by seeking medals for cops who opened fire at farmers during the protest in which a Punjab youth died and many farmers suffered injuries. The BJP will have to face farmers’ ire during assembly polls in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand,” he added.
Tejveer Singh, a spokesman of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh), said Haryana’s move has proved that farmers were anti-national for the BJP as they are honouring cops, who attacked farmers with sticks and bullets. “Have you heard any government honouring police for firing bullets and stopping the path of fellow citizens,” he added.
