It was administrative paralysis: Probe

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 31

There was a complete administrative paralysis with the highest functionaries of the government neither having control over the situation nor officers in districts had guidance or direction from higher-ups at a time when Haryana was burning during the Jat agitation in February.

The Prakash Singh Committee report, made public today, noted this. “There was hesitation in using force at the district level to quell the violence.”

The report has been uploaded on the Chief Secretary’s website — csharyana.gov.in.

The report has accused former DGP Yashpal Singal of failing to lead the police force from the front and then Additional Chief Secretary (Home) PK Das of remaining dormant.

The government shunted out Singal a few days before Prakash Singh was to submit his report and divested Das of the Home Department a day after submission of the report.

“The DGP remained confined to Chandigarh and was content with issuing some orders. He did not lead from the front and did not care to inspire or motivate the personnel in the field. The Home Department was a washout. The ACS (Home) could not produce before the committee even one page of directions or instructions which he may have issued to the Deputy Commissioners or the Superintendents of Police,” the report said. Singal, however, had said he was unwell during those days.

It said there was a general impression that if the police used force, firstly, it may prove counter-productive in the sense that the situation may become worse and, secondly, their action may not be defended by the state government.

“The registration of a case of murder against Subhash Yadav, the then Hisar SP, who had used force in self-defence, had sent a wrong message to the ranks,” the committee observed in its report.

The officers, in general, felt that the government did not want firing to be resorted to even under grave provocations and that there should be no loss of life due to police action, said the report.

“An order or instruction from the Chief Secretary or the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) would have made a world of difference. Unfortunately, however, there was no such missive. On the contrary, quite a few officers, in their deposition before the committee, said that the oral instructions from Chandigarh were to avoid use of force as far as possible,” it added.

“Nevertheless, the fact remains that any apprehension of legitimate, lawful executive action not being upheld by the government cannot become an excuse for inaction or abdication of the constitutional responsibility of maintaining law and order. When rioters are indulging in arson, burning schools and colleges, attacking certain groups of people, vandalising shops and business establishments, an officer entrusted with maintenance of law and order does not require any superior orders. The Criminal Procedure Code gives him all the powers and he is morally and legally bound to exercise them,” the Committee has said in its report.

Jhajjar DC ‘unfit to hold charge of district’

Jhajjar: Former DGP Prakash Singh, in his inquiry report on the role of officers of civil and police administration during the Jat agitation, stir has said Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anita Yadav is “unfit to hold the charge of a district and she was the most non-performing DC that the committee met”. “It was very disappointing that she remained confined to her camp office on February 19 and 20 even though incidents had started happening in the district. She not only failed to provide leadership, her role was in fact very negative, hence the committee has no hesitation in recording that she is unfit to hold charge of a district,” said the report. Even senior officers, it said, had difficulty in contacting her on phone and there were instances when she did not appoint magistrates promptly. The police, the judiciary and the Army — all of them — had problems working with her. “When asked as to why she did not go to the major trouble spots, Anita answered that she had delegated the authority to her subordinates and that she would go only as a last resort.” — Ravinder Saini

SNIPPETS

Chandigarh 

Ajay Yadav rejects report

Congress leader Capt Ajay Singh Yadav on Tuesday rejected the Prakash Singh Committee report, saying that it had failed to touch political leaders responsible for spreading violence during the Jat agitation. He said the committee should have recommended action against politicians too as the violence did not occur merely because of the fault of officials. The Congress leader demanded a probe by a judge of the High Court. TNS

Rohtak

Wrong to indict officers: Hooda 

Former CM Bhupinder Hooda has expressed displeasure over the exoneration of the Cabinet and indictment of officials by the Prakash Singh Committee. He told the media at Sampla on Tuesday the BJP government was responsible for the violence. When officials of the of Home, Police and General Administration departments  have been accused of not being able to prevent the agitation, why have the ministers heading the departments been spared?” he questioned. TNS