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Why is Congress reinstating tainted officials after their win, asks PUCL Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh: People’s Union for Civil Liberties – Chhattisgarh Unit has expressed its displeasure at the appointment of some of the police officials in key positions by the State Government whose record at the human rights front has been poor and controversial.

Chhattisgarh CM
 
Chhattisgarh: People’s Union for Civil Liberties – Chhattisgarh Unit has expressed its displeasure at the appointment of some of the police officials in key positions by the State Government whose record at the human rights front has been poor and controversial.
 
PUCL CG expressed surprise at Congress retaining tainted officials after coming to power. “PUCL CG strongly believes that the last fifteen years of BJP rule in the state witnessed the worst violation of human rights; even then the former BJP Government had side-lined these police officials due to reservations expressed against these police officials by the established human rights institutions. Thus, the PUCL-CG is surprised that the newly elected Congress (I) Government is not only reinstating such tainted police officials but sending a wrong message to the world that it has scant regard for human rights and freedom of speech and expression,” it said in a statement.
 
The civil activists issued a statement against the appointment of these police officials when the news broke. “PUCL-CG has decided to write to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, providing detailed documentation of the misdeeds of these police officials primarily on the human rights front, including their systematic support  to SALWA-JUDUM, which was declared as illegal and unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, criminal intimidation of and filing of false and fabricated cases against human rights defenders, social activists, journalists, lawyers and academics, even using abusive and sexists language, providing patronage and logistic support to the criminal and fascist outfits, demonstrating utter disregard for established parliamentary institutions and judiciary, including the National Human Rights Commission, etc,” they said.
 
They asked for a detailed inquiry of the officials and requested the state government to keep them out of action and off duty. “Equipped with such a detailed documentation of utter violation of human rights and indulgence in illegal activities of these police officials inclusive of SRP Kalluri, PUCL – CG would approach the State Government to immediately withdraw their postings, order a detailed enquiry by a former judge of the Supreme Court of India and, subsequently, take appropriate action as per its report and recommendations. Till then, these officials must be kept out of action and circulation from duty,” they said.
 
PUCL – CG has also communicated to the State Government that it would continue to act as a Watchdog on these violations of human rights, would provide constructive criticism to government’s policies and programmes, and continue to mobilize public opinion and people’s struggles to restore democracy, resist corporate agenda, and fight fascist forces in the State.

The new Congress government in Chhattisgarh appointed former Bastar Inspector General of Police SRP Kalluri as the chief of the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Economic Offences Wing. It was shocking news for many as Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who had demanded that Kalluri be thrown in jail, had called him a rapist when he was part of the Opposition. This backtracking by the winning party has thrown state activist into disarray who are afraid that human rights horrors in the state might never cease.
 

Political activist and an expert of the region, Nandini Sundar told The Quint she was “deeply disappointed with the Congress government.” “There are show-cause notices issued in Kalluri’s name. There are charges of rape and arson. The latest revelations by CBI make clear his involvement in the burning down of three Adivasi villages in Bastar in 2011. The Congress government has given him these posts despite all this. It makes one wonder if rule of law will ever be restored in Chhattisgarh,” she said.

 

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