Move on Rathore creates flutter
By Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 21 — In a surprise move, which created a flutter among the organisations that fight against exploitation of women, the Haryana Government today appointed the Director General of Police (DGP) Mr S.P.S. Rathore, as an ex-officio member of the newly formed nine-member Haryana State Women Commission.

The decision has baffled women activists because Mr Rathore himself was accused of molesting a woman, one Ruchika, way back in 1990. The police allegedly tried to hush up the case, but in 1997, Ms Madhu, whose daughter was a close friend of the alleged victim,moved the court on the issue, following which the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered an inquiry by the CBI into the case. On last December 14, the Supreme Court issued a ruling, upholding the high court’s order, while it turned down the appeal filed by the police chief.

The official communiqué, issued here today, said the SWC headed by Mrs Hem Lata Kashyap would undertake necessary steps at the level of the government and the public to protect constitutional and legal rights of women in general and poor among them in particular.

“Haryana is probably the last among the Indian states to set up a women’s commission and now that it has been finally done, what message the government thinks will go to people by having a police official in its panel who has been accused of molestation”, said an infuriated women’s rights activist.

Earlier Mr Chautala had made it clear that his government would not take any step against the DGP who would soon face an inquiry by the CBI for allegedly molesting a woman who has since died. “We have not thought anything about the case”, was Mr Chautala’s curt reply when this reporter managed to get hold of him for a few moments on Monday. However, giving the “tainted” DGP a place in the Women Commission, exactly one week after the SC’s refusal of his petition, is considered outrageous even according to the standards prevailing in the state.

Meanwhile, even as the ruling party has demonstrated its faith in the police chief, the Opposition Congress party seems oblivious to the serious allegations against Mr Rathore. Ms Parsanni Devi, president of the HPCC’s Women Cell, was not even aware of the case even though reports of the SC’s ruling were splashed in the front pages of more than one leading newspaper published from here. Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, HPCC chief, also made guarded response, and said the CBI should start its probe.

The ostensibly moralistic BJP, which is a partner of the INLD, also has decided to close its eyes to the charges against the police chief.