The state of Maharashtra is suffering ever since the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, led allegedly by the Shiv Sena, took the reins of power in its hands. The effects of the same are being seen, where citizens are being jailed for airing their free opinions, old and flimsy cases against senior journalists are being reopened and anyone who passes even a comical comment on the present-leaders of the state is hounded, and even physically assaulted by goons of the ruling party. The state’s police too has not been left immune to the brazen authoritarianism of the Maharashtra government any longer, and the state’s DGP is all set to leave his present role and get a central deputation.
The Director-General of Police (DGP) in Maharashtra, Subodh Kumar Jaiswal is said to be disgruntled with the MVA government regarding the recent reshuffle of some IPS officers and their transfers within the state, which were conducted without paying heed to his advice by the Chief Minister and Home Minister. Further, the transfers were also not in sync with laid norms and precedents, rather, were haphazard and random in nature, for reasons best known to the ‘rulers’ of the state. As a result, the DGP has decided to leave his role in the state, and take up a central deputation.
In order to take up a central deputation, DGP Jaiswal had sought NOC from the state government, which was immediately granted by Uddhav Thackeray and state’s Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. “He was not comfortable with Uddhav and Deshmukh over postings and transfers of IPS officers. The DGP felt there should be fixed policy on postings and transfers, while the political leadership took a different view. The political leadership contended that the DGP should not interfere with police transfers”, a senior police officer was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
DGP Jaiswal also asserted that all IPS officers in the state should be made to compulsorily work in Naxal-infested areas. Jaiswal had returned to Maharashtra as the Mumbai Police Chief on July 1, 2018 after working with the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for close to 10 years, where he handled counter-terror and intelligence operations. Jaiswal, during his time at the R&AW contributed to the probe of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Jaiswal also had a stint with the Special Protection Group (SPG) from 1995 to 2001. Sources now indicate that he is likely to join central deputation as the Director General of National Security Guards (NSG) soon.
Subodh Jaiswal seeking central deputation despite being one of the highest-ranking officers in Maharashtra shows that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government has made it impossible for men and women of dignity to serve in the state. It bears testimony to the fact that the opinions of anyone except the top leaders of the state have come to matter no more than the opinions of Rahul Gandhi on any given subject in India.