Feeling left out, police body to boycott BJP

Sanjay Yadav

Gurugram, October 18

Struggling with issues like accommodation shortage, lack of enough police schools and dedicated health centres, the Haryana Police Employees’ Association has announced to boycott the BJP in the Assembly elections.

While candidates across party lines are dolling out promises to woo the defence fraternity, state police personnel are feeling left out. Even as thousands of cops across the state are working to ensure safe and secure polling, majority of them feel utterly ignored as voters.

The association is in touch with the Congress and the JJP, but says it will shake hands with any party if they assure them that their demands would be met.

“What a soldier does on the border is what we do here every day. Year after year elections come and go, but nobody talks about police personnel and their families. We have written to BJP leaders and have made demands, but nothing has happened,” said Satpal Sharma, state president of the association.

The association claims to be in touch with Bhupinder Singh Hooda from the Congress and the JJP to see if any party can give them hope.

Having struggled for years, police personnel, especially from Gurugram, claim to be facing major accommodation woes. “One of our major demands is salary on a par with the Punjab Police personnel and accommodation. While the government gives pay hike and other benefits to every section of society, it has never bothered to do the same for police personnel and no exclusive benefits for cops have been included in the BJP manifesto,” said Sharma.

There are only 1,400 houses for over 5,000 cops in Gurugram.

Home Guards unclear on voting provision    

With no provision in place, over 1,500 Home Guards in the state may not be able to cast their votes. Deputed in various districts this election season, they say they have no information about postal ballot or any such provision that can help them exercise their franchise.