PM hints at continuance of Delhi Police chief Patnaik

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi, here on Sunday, giving a clean chit to the police by blaming the politics for violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the national capital, speculations about the continuance of Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik are set to subside.

The Delhi Police have been under the central government scanner recently due to the cop-lawyer clashes at the Tis Hazari Court premises, Jamia Nagar violence, snatching of hand bag of the Prime Minister's niece and Delhi being listed as 'crime capital' as per the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data.

In such a law and order scenario, speculations were rife that the Delhi Assembly elections, likely early next year, might be held under a new Delhi Police Commissioner.

But the Prime Minister ended all such guesstimates while addressing the rally at Ramlila Maidan by saying the state police could not be held responsible for anti-CAA protests turning violent.

Union Minister Prakash Javdekar in his address ahead of the Prime Minister's speech, also hinted at Patnaik's term extension.

The Home Ministry is also mulling over a three-month extension to Patnaik as the government will have to keep in mind for appointment of a new Delhi Police Commissioner the Supreme Court guidelines that says the top three IPS officers of the AGMUT cadre, as per the seniority, will only be eligible for the post.

Also, the new appointee should have at least six-month of service before retirement to be eligible for the post.

A former Police Commissioner told IANS, "Patnaik won't be removed from the post of the Delhi Police Commissioner as of now. When the Prime Minister doesn't hold the police responsible for the violence, then why should he fear losing his job?"

Another ex-Commissioner said, "Patnaik is slated to retire on January 31, 2020. The major reason behind retaining him as the Commissioner of Police is the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections."

Also, according to political pundits, the countdown of the Delhi Assembly elections have begun with Modi's Sunday rally. The elections might be announced anytime now. And this also goes in Patnaik's favour who have been heading the Delhi Police since January 30, 2017 and might be effective in the free and fair conduct of the polls.

In his address, Modi didn't talk about the law and order situation of the national capital, but criticised the violence against the CAA.

Appealing for peace, Modi said, "Violence is no solution. Spill your anger on Modi, not on the public property."IANS