UP police chief-to-be not to be, says PMO

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, January 19

After 19 days, the suspense over when DGP-designate Om Prakash Singh will take charge is finally over. His name has reportedly been set aside by the PMO for being politically sensitive. 

Sources claim the IB has sent a report suggesting that appointing the 1983-batch IPS officer may send a wrong signal to Dalits, affecting the poll prospects of the BJP-led NDA government ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

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Singh, reportedly close to Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav,  was the Lucknow SSP during the SP-BSP regime when the VIP Guest House incident took place in 1995. The violent SP workers had attacked the guest house where BSP leader Mayawati was staying. She, along with her party MLAs, was held under siege while the district police headed by Singh remained a mute spectator.

The incident was the turning point in Dalit politics as it led to the BSP withdrawing support and the collapse of the SP-BSP government.

Mayawati was sworn in as the first Dalit Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh two days later, and  ruled with the support of BJP.  The BSP supremo has not forgotten the frightening attempt on her life and keeps recalling the incident at public meetings.