Cornered over deteriorating law and order situation as well as facing a humiliating defeat in the recent polls, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav seems to be in the mood to go in for a shake-up in the administration, particularly to give new ‘image’ to his Government.
After removing Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home), the two important power centres in the Government, discussions are now also on to give new faces in the districts, both as district magistrates and police chiefs, so that the image of the Government could get a ‘facelift’.
On Friday, Akhilesh called on both Principal Secretary (Home), Deepak Singhal and Director General of Police, Al Banerjee and reportedly discussed the names which should be replaced in new team. The Chief Minister also collected first hand information about the ground realities of policing in Western UP towns, coming under Moradabad, Bareilly and Aligarh ranges, where both Singhal and Banerjee visited on Thursday.
It may be mentioned that both the officers besides making on the spot crackdown on junior officers, had also shunted out districts police chiefs of five districts which included Moradabad, Auraiya, Bijnore, Hapur and Saharanpur.
Sources in the Government confirmed that Akhilesh Yadav, who was upset with the recent media attack on his Government over deteriorating law and order situation, has summoned both PS (Home) and DGP to review the steps which are to be taken as a part of ‘image makeover’ of his Government. As a first step in this direction, Akhilesh, himself started surprise visit to Shrawasti, and suspended over half a dozen officials besides also shunting out district magistrates. Soon after Akhikesh’s initiative, Chief Secretary, Alok Ranjan, on Thursday also took meeting of senior officers and made it loud and clear that now no slackness will be allowed by the Government and stern action will be taken if the officers would not respond to problems faced by public particularly common man.
Ranjan also claimed that besides taken round in the district for two days in the month, he will now also spare at least one day time every month to make surprise inspections in districts. Ranjan warned the officers that they must gear themselves as anyone caught adopting lethargic approach in performing his duties would be taken to task.
Sources further confirmed that another message given by the Government, both through new Chief Secretary and PS (Home) is that the officers from now onwards should not just sit in their offices but they wanted them in action in the field also. The two officers, directed their subordinates that activities in field by the local officers not only increased confidence of the Government amongst the minds of general public but the criminal and anti-social elements would also fear in freely moving and operating unlawful activities.
On directions of Akhilesh, both Singhal and Banerjee also visited Moradabad, Meerut and Aligarh on Thursday and reviewed the law and order situation prevailing in the area. Their visit also seems to have brought results, as by removing five district police chiefs, besides suspending some other guilty cops, just in the night of making review, had sent a strong signal amongst the officers that they should either perform or they had to perish at least from the mainstream.