BENGALURU: Upset with the manner in which the State Government has gone about implementing the recommendations of Raghavendra Auradkar committee, police personnel who are voters in the Assembly constituencies that will witness bypolls on December 5, have decided to boycott voting.
A photograph of the letter, believed to have been drafted by police personnel and addressed to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, is doing the rounds on social media platforms and WhatsApp groups in which police personnel are members. The letter does bear any signature and seems to have been shared on various groups to spread the message of boycotting voting.
The letter claims policemen have been left in the lurch by the State Government which implemented the Auradkar Committee report in a manner that suits its convenience. It claims that the changes made by the government based on the report is of no use and the should be withdrawn. It also speaks about the fourth Saturday leave, which is not applicable to police personnel, but reduces casual leave from 15 days to 10 days.
“There are around 90,000-one lakh police personnel in the state and around 4-5 lakh dependents and family members. All of us are really upset about the stepmotherly attitude of the government towards policemen. Hence, we and our family members have decided to boycott voting in the by-elections and also in the future elections,” the letter says.
Several policemen TNIE spoke to said the government had pushed them to take such a stand. “Though it may not make a big difference, I have decided not to cast my vote this time as a mark of protest and I have also asked my family members not to vote as a mark of protest. What is the point of voting when no government is ready to listen to our woes and just makes some irrelevant announcements and then claim that they have addressed our issues?” questioned a Head Constable who is a voter in KR Puram Assembly constituency.
Another policeman in the rank of Assistant Sub Inspector, a voter in Shivajinagar constituency, also aired similar opinion, saying most of his colleagues have also decided likewise. “We had already planned to boycott voting in the parliamentary elections, but had dropped the idea as it was no way connected to our demands. But this time, we are firm and have decided to stay away from voting,” he said.
A senior police officer, who admitted that he was aware of the letter, said the higher-ups will convince the staff to exercise their franchise with an assurance them that their concerns will be taken up with the government.