I am not Mahatma, Harshavardhan C [english novels for beginners .TXT] 📗

you are ready to answer whether the Indian soldiers are right or wrong. But what does the ACP mention in his explanation for the charge memo of the Commissioner of police?”

Everybody was eagerly waiting to read his explanation.

“Sorry officers, you can’t predict what the A.C.P has given in his explanation”

“He might have resigned sir”

“Okay! one probable answer”

“He might have gone to court sir”

“No he has no faith in the civil services conduct rules”

“Anyway I don’t want to take your time any more. The A.C.P has given his explanation, by quoting the example of the story of Indian Army, which I have already narrated to you, and further he has left it to the scrutiny of the self-concise of the C.P, and has stated in his final explanation to the memo.

But, the civil services conduct rules are such that they only need his explanation, and not the quotes. Now tell me officers what shall be the reaction of the Commissioner of police? Is the explanation given by the A.C.P is proper? What is the self-consciousness of the Commissioner? Will it stand the scrutiny of civil services conduct rules?” The head of the State Police put the ball in their court.

Though the questions appeared to be simple, but they might mean much.There was no response from the officers.

“Okay, one more clue gentleman, during night patrolling at 2 ‘O’ clock in the night, the A.C.P has rounded up one local rowdy, while he along with his henchmen are molesting dancing girls. The two girls are saved, and the victims are brought to the nearby Police station to prefer a compliant and the accused is handed over to the concerned Police.The next day morning the A.C.P has been served a charge memo by the city Commissioner of Police, asking his explanation as to how dance is allowed in a birthday party at odd hours, and the A.C.P who is on night patrolling duty has no control over his jurisdiction.”

“Now tell me gentleman, what is the legal or moral validity of the memo? “

Everyone in the seminar knows the answer. But, they are all working in a discipline force and hence they are all in a dilemma whether to answer it or not.

“I expect all of you to answer my questions. But before answering my questions, please go through the media clippings?”

It is screened.

“Okay, now I put it to you, who is right? Now, I divide the entire forum into two groups. Each group has to answer. You are given an option to write on slips, and some of you may collect and bring them to me”

They carried out the instructions of the D.G.

Surprisingly, the slips were found to be blank.

“My dear officers, here I do remember the famous saying of Mrs.Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India as ‘there are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group, as there is less competition there’

“Then, what happened to the A.C.P Sir?” One of the I.P.S probationers asked the D.G out of his curiosity.

“Good question.The A.C.P.has quit the department and has done doctorate on the fate of justice in the hands of Indian cops. Now the fate of police is in the hands of the ACP Mr. Prabhakar, whether he pens all follies of the cops or not. And for your information, he has also started a voluntary social organization known as ‘Weed-Out’ to expose flaws, undos, and corruption in bureaucracy. It is for your dismay, I am reveling the secret that he has sent me the first list of the cops. He has got himself enrolled in the Bar Council of A.P to protect the poor and innocent victims from the hands of the cruel cops” The D G said little emotionally.

All most all the officers were feeling discomfort, not because they were confined to their chairs since long, but fearing that the Police Chief might read the list and might hangup the branded, and hence everybody was feeling nervous, because they all remembered what they were doing all through their service. “I think all most all the officers are feeling nerves because if not one day or if not many at least one must have knowingly or unknowingly committed some mistakes. I am also no exception. I am known for my weakness” He said and observing them for their reaction against him.

Exactly, the City Commissioner of Police Mr. Wilson was facing the same situation. His face became pale.

“My dear officers, even if I close my eyes on certain undo's committed by the hierarchy, truth will never die. It is exactly due to jealously, selfishness and self-centered interests,we have lost so many stalwart officers.It is a well-known fact that all the militant cadres throughout the length and breadth of the state put together, the number will not exceed triple digits. But we as a force of about one lakh, heart fully prove our professionalism just for twenty four hours, all the insurgency would be thrown into the Bay of Bengal. Do you agree with me?”

Nobody answered him.

“I know that you will never answer me, because you have to serve in this department for thirty five years or till you retire, and you don’t want to hurt any of your senior officers. But it is not correct. However, I would like to enlighten you regarding professional jealously. I want to tell you about certain people, for your understanding and not to hurt anybody.

There was an officer rose from the rank of Police constable to Sub-Inspector of Police. He was an expert in Anti-Extremist operations. He was instrumental for the surrender of many hard core extremists. The time to time information, ascertained from him through his sources, resulted in a number of encounters of Central Committee and Provisional Committee members. Consequently, he earned number of rewards, medals, including Indian police Medal and on the other side he expressly became a hot target for the militants.

There were not only good number officers of his rank, but the hierarchy also know petty well that his life was at stake. For an officer, working in Anti-Extremist field, his strength was men, material, means of communication, mobility and finally informants.

Unfortunately, the S.P Intelligence withdrew his vehicle, as there was shortage of vehicles as V.V.I.P was moving in his jurisdiction and the V.V.I.P needs to be covered by officers for collecting information, regarding the strength of public who gathered what the V. V.I.P spoke and so also to observe the response from the audience, etc.

The very next rank officer the OSD removed his gun men saying that the Sub-Inspector was not eligible for that. Unfortunately, the bill for the land telephone of the residence of the poor Sub-Inspector was not remitted in Tele communication office, as the concerned clerk was on leave, and hence the telephone connection was temporarily disconnected. So also the mobile phone given by the Department to him was also disconnected, as its postpaid payment was badly delayed due to bureaucracy’s failure.

Unable to bear the insult and ill-treatment by his senior officers, colleagues, he applied long leave and also requested the head office to get him repatriated to his parent unit. Keeping his efficiency, hard work and the laurels he brought to the unit, his boss don’t want to leave him. As he had been on long leave as a matter of procedure his pay and allowances were not drawn and paid to him. Thus all his life nerves were cut off by the hierarchy in the name of protocol, rules and regulations and finally in the way of discipline.

At least he was not alerted, or cautioned by his unit head or by his colleagues, though the latter had received so many calls from his informers, who had requested them to convey him the message that he would be done to death, had he stayed in the city, as it was decided by the Central Committee. His colleagues were neither divine nor humane at least to inform him the last message from his informer. His existence became a patient on ventilator, without oxygen.

The next day, in the early hours, when the poor officer while reading a daily newspaper, was shot dead at point blank with a pistol by one of the militants. Later all uniformed officers wore black ribbons and lead funeral march along with the dead body of the Sub-Inspector raising slogans “Sub-Inspector Amar rahe hai, and we take revenge as one for ten”

Surprisingly all those officers, who cut all the life nerves of the Sub-Inspector, were in the forefront of the procession, shedding crocodile tears. Under these prevailing conditions can anybody work with head and heartand with the same commitment in Anti-Extremist field?

I don’t think so. I know none of you can respond positively to my question. But I can respond. And it was certainly not positive. Anyway let me not lose my temper my dear trainees.

This I have revealed with heart felt feelings. I hope from now onwards, all of us in uniform shall try to be honest to our job and self-consciousness. Least public shall not split on us. Good bye and good luck to you all. To conclude, one more thing I want to remind you all that we should be thankful to God for saving Mrs. Rebecca Solomon. There are no words in my dictionary to complement her velour, dedication and dutifulness”

“If you don’t mind we expect you to reveal your weakness also” One of the probationers asked him.

“Well some times I take my religion to save my position and my interests, and this I have come to know through the list sent by Mr. Prabhakar, and unfortunately I am figuring first in the list” The DG said quietly seriously.

No body dares to ask him any more questions.

“Ladies and gentlemen, now all of you can go back to your headquarters and attend toyour duties on priority basis and I hope you will never do such injustice as was done to Mr.Prabhakar. Mr.O.S.D you meet me in my chamber afterwards” The Police Boss left the auditorium.

Everybody in the conference hall expected that Mr. Wilson, the City Police commissioner would be summoned by Police chief for the mistake he committed in the case of Mr.Prabhakar, but the chief called the O.S.D.

They all looked at the O.S.D with good honor and respect. They all know that he was an expert in Anti-terrorist operations. But they didn’t know what for the chief called him?

All the officers left the conference hall, except the O.S.D.

Now it was turn for O.S.D to leave the conference hall. He took out kerchief from his pocket and rubbed his face.

He walked straight to chief’s chamber.

33

It was a fact finding committee, consisting of the Professor, two Provincial Committee Members, three District .Committe Members and five commanders of the armed squads.They were followed by those who escaped death narrowly from the recent Police encounter. They were all in olive green uniform. They walked through the terrain.

There were dried blood stains on the leaves of the plants and creepers. The surface of the land looked like a war like scenario. There were few remains of torn pieces of olive green uniform, spread helter and skelter to an extent visible to the naked eye.

“Comrades do you have signals to your mobiles?” The Professor waited for their reply.

The Professor took seriously the recent police encounter as the worst set back to their organization. And the escape of the O.S.D Mr.Rau was viewed seriously.

“We have no signals to our mobiles professor, till we walk down to the end of the terrain” One of the fellow comrades replied.

“Then, who has selected this place for conducting plenary? “ The Professor looked at the commander of the armed squad, who is accompanying him at shoulder distance.

The commander was unable to speak to him, and had been shivering litterarly.

“I repeat, who has selected the place for the plenary?”

One of the comrades, who had been accompanying the team, showed the commander, who had been already