The State functionaries were almost paralysed during the Jat quota stir in February in Haryana and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and DGP “fell short” of what could be expected of them, while many officers did not act due to “caste bias” in the State.
These observations have been made in the report of the Parkash Singh panel, constituted by Haryana Government to probe the lapses into the official response during Jat quota stir that turned violent in the State.
Prakash Singh, former Director General of Police (DGP) for Uttar Pradesh and Assam has made strong observations against former Chief Ministers, saying they had “eroded the authority of certain institutions” with a view to concentrate powers in their own office and as a result “the office of the Chief Secretary does not command the power or enjoy the prestige it does in most other States.” “Also, the Home Department plays a somewhat subsidiary role in matters relating to law and order in Haryana. These distortions need to be corrected to prevent a repeat of similar paralysis in the future,” observed the panel.
The panel, in its 451-page report on violence during the Jat quota stir, said the “administrative paralysis” had gripped the state and the “highest functionaries in the Government failed to show the kind of guidance, direction and control that is expected in a crisis of such proportions”.
Retired IPS Prakash Singh in his report said, “The two officers who matter the most in the state, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the Director General of Police, fell short of what could be expected of them in such a situation.”
A total of 30 people were killed and more than 300 were injured during the quota agitation in the State. Property worth hundreds of crores of rupees was also damaged and destroyed in the mayhem. The committee, which has indicted 90 police and administrative officers for their “failure to act”, said “The Home Department was a washout, the then Director General of Police Yash Pal Singhal failed to lead from the front, and the then Additional Chief Secretary (Home) PK Das could not produce even one page of directions he may have issued to Deputy Commissioners and senior police officials during the Jat stir.”
It said, “The DGP remained confined to Chandigarh and was content with issuing some order.” The report, which significantly came at a time when Jats have threatened to launch their agitation afresh from June 5, said, “The civil administration and police machinery in the state cut a very sorry figure during the Jat stir in February.”
Observing that “caste bias” in both civil administration and police was seen during the agitation, the report pointed out that “caste bias” led to inaction against rioters, connivance with the vandals, absence of officers from duty and abetment of the hooligans.” Describing the situation as “a horrific picture”, the panel said, “What was lacking was the will to act, the determination to prevent riotous mobs from assembling in the first instance and then dealing with them effectively while they were committing acts of violence, arson, loot or vandalism.”
The report, submitted to the High Court here a day before, said, “Officers at the district level, barring a few honourable exceptions, just did not rise to the occasion. They were either unequal to the daunting situation they faced or they could not mobilise the full strength of the officers and men under their command, some of whom went missing or deserted their duties.”
The officers displayed cowardice, or hesitated to take strong action for fear that they would not be supported by the government, or deliberately avoided doing so because they had “a caste bias”. While there was no direction from the seniormost officials, a number of officers subscribed to the “philosophy of ‘chedogey to badhega’ (if you touch, it will increase), observed the panel.
The Committee had heard 2,217 persons drawn from different walks of life and more than 100 video films taken during the agitation were received by the Committee.
Prakash Singh had submitted the report to the Haryana Government on May 13.
Taking action against those indicted in the report, the State Government had transferred then Additional Chief Secretary (home) and suspended three officers of the Haryana Civil Services and 10 deputy superintendents of police. All are named in the report.
About a month back, the Government had appointed K P Singh as the new DGP of Haryana, removing Yashpal Singal from the top post.
On Polarisation
The inquiry panel has observed, “There has been a disturbing polarization in Haryana society. It is painful to record this, but today you have Jats on one side and the remaining communities on the other. These other communities have been giving calls for the unity of “35 biradaris” (excluding the Jat biradari).”
Without naming anyone, the report said, “One Member of Parliament has been particularly vocal in this regard and making divisive speeches. No wonder, there are vitriolic rejoinders. The overall consequence of such exchanges has been to sharpen the divide among the communities. The kind of polarization which earlier one saw between the Hindus and Muslims is today, tragically, being witnessed among different Hindu communities, thanks to the conflicting claims over reservation.”
Role of Army
“There have been disturbing whispers that the rioters were not particularly scared of the Army, which was deployed during the Jat stir. The Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of the State had no hesitation in saying that “the agitators were not daunted by the presence of the Army”. This is not a happy situation and should cause us concern. One reason could be that the Army is getting over-exposed,” said the report. The Committee feels that Army should be sucked into internal security duties only if there is a well-considered request from the Home Department of the State.