PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday urged DGP Alok Raj to expedite the process of recruitment of more policemen ahead of the assembly elections in the state due next year. At an event organised here to hand over appointment letters to 1,239 newly recruited police sub-inspectors, Nitish, also the home minister, suddenly turned towards the police chief and asked him with folded hands if he would ensure more recruitments soon.
“The appointment and training of police personnel should be complete before the assembly polls. Only then rigging of polls will be prevented,” Nitish said and promised to provide 12 lakh jobs before the elections.
The DGP saluted the CM at the event but Nitish asked, “Tell me, will you get this done soon?” Raj and other police officers were taken aback over the CM’s pointed question. The police chief then walked to the other rostrum on the stage and said, “Bihar police is committed to implementing the directions of honourable chief minister. We will ensure quick recruitment and robust training.” Pat came the reply from the CM: “Thank you.”
According to sources, 78,000 policemen in different ranks are to be appointed in the state. Nitish has reserved 35% seats for women in the recruitment of policemen.
The CM’s remarks came against the backdrop of Opposition’s charge over the state’s poor law and order situation. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had said, “There is no district in the state where loot, murder, dacoity, kidnapping and rape don’t take place. But there is no action. If an FIR is lodged, there is zero investigation. People do not get justice. CM Nitish is a tired man, and he cannot run the state anymore.”
This is not the first time when Nitish folded hands before top bureaucrats. On July 10 this year, he folded his hands and moved to touch the feet of an IAS officer during an event, asking him to expedite a road project in Patna. “I shall touch your feet if that is what you want,” Nitish had told the IAS officer at a function where a stretch of ‘JP Ganga Path’, an expressway along the river that promises to ease traffic congestion in the state capital, was dedicated to the public.