KOCHI: In the wake of the BJP lining up Union Ministers to Sabarimala and the party’s local leaders making use of the opportunity to flay the stringent security measures put in place by the Kerala Government, IPS officers deployed at Sabarimala have been virtually caught between the devil and the deep sea. In fact, the IPS officers are caught in a political crossfire at Sabarimala where the LDF government fighting with the BJP and the UDF over the SC verdict allowing entry of women of all ages to Sabarimala.
While the LDF Government has taken an adamant stand and implemented tight security measures, including imposition of Section 144, to ensure no political parties and Hindu outfits have a free run at Sabarimala organising protests, the BJP and the UDF have been opposing the security measures by openly violating prohibitory orders.
Already, senior police officers have started to feel the heat and started to come in the line of fire while discharging their duty as dictated by the state government. The alleged confrontation between Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan and Nilakkal Law and Order in charge SP Yatish Chandra G H on Wednesday defines the awkward position in which police officers land while dealing with BJP ministers who visit Sabarimala during this highly sensitive time.
‘’First of all, young IPS officers should not be entrusted with the task of handling the Union Ministers when they visit Sabarimala where the atmosphere is politically charged,” a senior IPS officer said. “They are immature in handling sensitive situations and resort to knee-jerk reactions. Senior officers should be there on the ground to guide them,” the officer said.
Surprisingly, three young IPS officers in the rank of SPs are handling the ground-level law and order at Nilakkal, Pampa and Sannidhanam.According to state police chief Loknath Behera, the police have no other option but to ensure law and order at Sabarimala. “We are doing our job. If we fail to deliver, we will be pulled up by the government and the court. Everyone should understand our situation,” Behera said. Former state police chief T P Senkumar said the young IPS officers have lost their direction by playing to the tune of political leaders of the ruling party. “First of all, there is no need to clamp Section 144 on Sannidhanam, which includes the sanctum sanctorum. While ensuring law and order, police officers should ensure they don’t get caught in the political crossfire,” Senkumar said.
Mounting pressure and stress have already forced the IPS Association in Kerala to seek legal recourse for supporting the officers deployed at Sabarimala. The association is mulling the option of approaching the SC to apprise it of the difficulty the officers are facing while discharging duty at Sabarimala.