New Delhi, Jun 7: The Centre's move asking states to appoint at least one Muslim officer at police stations in areas with high concentration of Muslim population today came under sharp attack from BJP, which termed the step as ‘unfortunate' and charged the Congress with trying to divide the country on the basis of religion.
“It is unfortunate that the government is trying to divide the police on the basis of religion. The BJP feels that everyone should be protected. Whether it is higher castes or backwards, dalits or tribals, all should be taken care of.
“By doing so, the Congress is again trying to create communal frenzy in this country and wants to divide the country on the basis of religion,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
He said honest police officers don't need Congress government's guidance to work honestly.
Hussain wondered if “tomorrow the government will start deciding to post police officers of a particular community with politicians”, saying doing so was making a “joke” of the security system.
The Centre's directive to the states is in line with a key recommendation of the Sachar Committee.
In a communication to Chief Secretaries of all states, Union Home Secretary R K Singh asked them to send a status report on it by the end of June, suggesting that it would be useful to have at least one Muslim police inspector or sub-inspector in police stations in areas having concentration of Muslim population “not as a matter to eliminate discrimination but as an initiative to build confidence”.
The missive was sent after the Home Ministry found that many states have not yet fully implemented one of the key recommendations of the Sachar Committee report.
