Strongly condemning the govt for pick and choose policy adopted with regard to transfer of officers in J&K, the NPP activists led by Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister held protest demonstration at Ramnagar against BJP led govt at the centre seeking the recall of transfer order of SSP Udhampur, Rajiv Pandey. The protestors raised slogans against BJP and the Centre govt accusing them of politicization of bureaucracy. The protestors raised slogans of ‘BJP murdabad, Centre Govt hai hai’, while maintaining social distance as per the prescribed norms. Addressing media persons on the occasion, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that SSP Udhampur, Mr. Rajiv Pandey had earned the goodwill of all sections of the society because declined to an all time low in the district but the faith of the people in police force had fast restored. He said that District Udhampur which had earned the most dubious notoriety in crime, cow smuggling, drugs trafficking and other heinous offences in the past had fast witnessed a sharp decline in crime rate during the past two years under the able police leadership provided by the said SSP. His transfer outside J&K was a great setback for all upright and conscientious officers not only in the district but in J&K UT as well.
Accusing the BJP led govt of politiciz ation of bureaucracy, Mr. Singh said that transfers said postings in the present regime were being made on extraneous considerations. “Merit and efficiency was no more the grinding principle for placement of officers. Those who served the political interests of BJP were given the preference with public interest or interests of administration having been consigned into the oblivion”, claimed Harsh. Urging upon the Lt. Governor to personally intervene into the matter and to withhold the transfer orders of SSP Udhampur, Mr. Singh said that the public at large was feeling annoyed and agitated over the said move of the govt in view of unprecedented good work done by the said officer and gigantic goodwill earned by him. He said that several district heads of police in the past had shattered the faith of the public in police due to their biased approach and corrupt practices, for promoting the interests of certain political parties, for openly acting at the behest of certain politicians, for bullying the poor and un-influential, for giving patronage to goonda elements, vandals and marauders and for increased bovine smuggling and drugs trade. He said that NPP would continue to eulogize, appreciate and to stand for the upright officers who set examples for others to emulate by their impartial conduct and upright behaviour.