Social activists from different parts of Kashmir on Thursday squatted near the Lal Chowk in Srinagar and urged Governor Satyapal Malik to revoke the transfer of Inspector General of Police (Traffic), Basant Rath, who has been shunted to an insignificant post allegedly under political pressure.
The activists carrying placards in support of Rath and against corruption chanted slogans against his unceremonious transfer.
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This is a unique incident of people coming out in support of an honest police officer in Kashmir where policemen are otherwise stoned by mobs. Rath is not a local resident but belongs to a poor family of Orissa.
Breaking his silence on his transfer to the Home Guards department where he has not been assigned any job by the Governor’s administration, Rath on Thursday tweeted; “I don’t worry about the politically connected. My Bou always wanted to be like this. Bou means mother in Odia”.
Social media in J&K is abuzz with angry posts against the transfer of Rath who had taken several steps to streamline the traffic movement in the state. He would himself move on the streets of Jammu and Srinagar using “unorthodox ways” to discipline the traffic rule violators. Large crowds used to follow to see him in action as he has been the only top police officer who would himself be on the street.
Rath, a 2000 batch IPS, had during his brief tenure on the post had earned bouquets and also brickbats for setting right the traffic mismanagement during which he did not even spare kin of his colleagues and politicians.
His tweeter spat with the newly elected Mayor of Srinagar, Junaid Azim Muttu, on 9 November on the issue of traffic mismanagement in Srinagar is learnt to have hastened his transfer.
A former minister of PDP, Naeem Akhtar, also took to the social media by tweeting; “Governor administration shows itself in very poor light by transferring Basant Rath @KangriCarrier in a manner that makes it look like a punishment. The reason is not far to seek if the public sentiment and general comments are an indicator. We live in insecure times”.
