SRINAGAR: A week after his tiff with newly elected Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu, who is backed by BJP and its ally Peoples Conference, IPS officer Basant Rath also known as "Dabang" was Tuesday removed as Inspector General of Police (IGP) Traffic by the Governor administration in Jammu and Kashmir.
Principal Secretary to J&K Government, Home Department, in an order said in the interest of administration, IGP Traffic Basant Kumar Rath (IPS- JK 2000) was transferred and attached in the office of Commandant General, Home Guards/Civil Defence/SDRF till further orders.
Alok Kumar (IPS-JK 1997), who was IGP Security J&K, was transferred and posted as IGP Traffic in place of Rath. The removal of Rath as IGP Traffic comes after his recent tiff on social media with newly elected Srinagar Junaid Mattu.
Mattu, who was the former spokesman of National Conference, was backed by BJP and its ally Peoples Conference of separatist-turned-mainstream politician Sajjad Lone in the Mayor election. After assuming charge of Srinagar Mayor on November 6, Mattu made his intentions clear to end the traffic mismanagement in the city.
However, Rath had in twitter post hit back at Mattu, saying, "Not your domain. Traffic diversion at Jehangir Chowk is a compulsion. The vendors have created a mess on Amira Kadal - HSHS - Maharaja Bazar - LD Hospital stretch. SMC needs to clear the mess".
It was the second tiff off between the two on social media. After being elected as Srinagar Mayor, Mattu had said, "We will strike a balance between development and ecology but that does not mean putting a chastity belt around the city. Wetland Main Kya Karna Hai, Chidyoun Kou Dekhana Hai (What we need wetlands for, to show them to sparrows?).
"The IGP had immediately reacted to his comment and called him a "cabbage". "Wetlands are precious and a vital part of our ecosystem. Only a cabbage will think otherwise," Rath tweeted.
Rumours about Rath's sacking were going on since yesterday. He had found support from the former J&K police chief, Shesh Paul Vaid. "Social media agog with rumours of transfer of Basant Rath IGP Traffic; I hope it isn't true. He may follow unorthodox ways, but his honesty and dynamism is appreciable & commendable," Vaid had tweeted.
The netizens on social media platforms castigated the J&K government for shunting out a "people-friendly" and "pro-Valley" police officer. "Congratulations to all the traffic law violators and corrupt officials particularly Junaid Mattu," Aazad Ahmad a netizen wrote on Facebook. Rath had earned the title of "Dabang" for his unusual way of traffic management in the State and had been "ruthless" against traffic violations. He had fined many top officials. He was donning black dress instead of donning the police uniform while on duty and was tech savvy and very active on Twitter.
Rath had been able to a large extent to manage traffic in Jammu but in Kashmir, he was not that successful.