Gujarat Government slams Chidabaram for intemperate remarks

Gandhinagar, Aug.13 (ANI): The Gujarat government has taken serious exception to the statement made by Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram in which he is reported to have instigated police officers posted in the state to revolt against the provincial authorities.

A heated debate has broken out between the Congress party-led central government and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Chidambaram's statement, offering to help police officers deputed in Gujarat and facing disciplinary action at the hands of the state government headed by Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Gujarat Health Minister Jaynarayan Vyas told mediapersons here on Saturday: "The Union Home (interior) Minister made some inciting statement yesterday, saying that in this kind of an open defiance, instead of living in a new process of discipline and law, shall be protected by the central (federal) government. This is nothing but creating a situation of revolt and encouraging the service officers to revolt against the duly elected democratic government. This is just not done in a federal system."

He also observed that politicians opposed to BJP were unable to bear the prosperity of the Gujarat state under Modi's rule as such they have been relentlessly targeting the Chief Minister and his government.

"Why is Gujarat receiving UPA government's special love and affection? Most of them cannot see that Gujarat prospers. Nowadays, the Gujarat Chief Minister is the latest target of the UPA. They are trying to malign his image and draw obstacles in the path of development," added Vyas.

After the suspension of Sanjeev Bhatt, an Indian Police Officer (IPS) of Gujarat cadre in the rank of Inspector General (IG), the state government issued a show cause notice to another senior IPS officer Rahul Sharma on charges of indiscipline on Saturday (August 13).

Sharma was charges-sheeted for misconduct, since he allegedly leaked certain documents pertaining to phone calls made during the 2002 communal riots in the state.

Vyas said that as per the Service Rules, it is illegal to retain the copies of official and restricted documents, particularly those of sensitive nature.

"Our show cause notice (to Rahul Sharma) for breach of code of conduct and discipline under the relevant Service Rules in January 2011. Thereafter, he wanted to examine the relevant papers. The opportunity was given to him twice; repeated extensions were given as well," said Jaynarayan Vyas.

Earlier, Sanjeev Bhatt was questioned and suspended for allegedly exerting pressure on a policeman to sign an affidavit to testify that the officer was present at the meeting convened by the Chief Minister during the riots of 2002.

Later, Bhatt knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court, urging that the case be transferred outside Gujarat.

More than 2,500 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The riots took place after a train with Hindu devotees was set on fire in Godhra Railway Station, which had set off some of the country's worst communal riots since independence in 1947.

Critics say Modi and his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules Gujarat, did little to stop the violent aftermath of Godhra incident. (ANI)