Thiruvananthapuram: It has become evident that the controversial decision to conduct the Kerala Police Association’s (KPA) state conference along the lines of CPM party meetings was taken paying scant respect to the directives issued by state police chief Loknath Behera.
In an official communique to the office-bearers of the KPA a day before the state conference, the DGP had made it clear that erecting martyrs’ columns at the convention venues and politically tilted sloganeering would severely dent the image of the force. However, the KPA executive committee meeting decided against changing the pre-planned schedule of the programme.
On May 10, state intelligence ADGP T K Vinod Kumar had submitted a report to the DGP on the high level of politicisation among the cops as was observed during their conduct at district-level meetings of police associations.
As the KPA state meeting was scheduled to begin in Kozhikode the next day, the DGP sent a letter to the association’s office-bearers to alert them on the politicisation of the department.
The letter also contained copies of the 22 circulars issued in recent times on the association’s operational functioning. However, disregarding the directive, the event was conducted without making any major changes to the schedule.
The initial decision was to install a red colour column at the venue, but, in order to avoid controversies, the KPA opted for a dual-colour martyrs’ column. Also, instead of political sloganeering in favour of the Communist martyrs, a decision was made to raise slogans hailing the association. These changes were effected in order to make an impression that the DGP’s instructions were not fully disregarded.
At the same time, KPA office-bearers feigned ignorance about the intelligence report alleging high politicisation of the police force and maintained that the department heads did not oppose programmes such as martyrs' commemoration held as part of the association’s district conferences.
At the meeting convened to discuss the DGP’s warning letter, some office-bearers even argued that such interventions would dampen the morale of the cops. The statements made by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and health minister K K Shailaja proved that their stance had the backing of the CPM leadership.
Meanwhile, the DGP confirmed on Sunday that he had written to the office-bearers of the KPA after receiving the intelligence report. However, he denied reports that a notice was served on the KPA. “The letter was not a directive, but it was just an inquiry. There will be no follow-up action on the communique,” he said.
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