Chhattisgarh: Cong, BJP spar over SP's transfer for not obeying minister's order

Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday transferred Sukma's Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Shukla for not following state minister Kawasi Lakhma's order of transferring an inspector posted in Sukma district.

The transfer of the IPS officer has now triggered a political row in the state with the BJP hitting out at the ruling Congress for its "Goonda Raj" while the latter defended the move by its minister.

The state excise minister Lakhma in a February 15, 2019 dated letter directed Shukla to transfer Surendra Pambhoi from acting Thana in-charge of Phulbagdi, to thana prabhari of Tongpal.

In the reply to that letter, Shukla had refused to execute the transfer, stating that it was the responsibility of the district superintendent of police to maintain the law and order and it is only his exclusive right to transfer any personnel.

This incident has fuelled a war of words between the Congress party and the BJP. The BJP has hit out at the Congress government for not letting police function the way it is meant to while the Congress has defended its minister.

BJP leader Sanjay Srivastava hit out at the government accusing it of not letting the police function. He said, "This is Gunda raj, an SP is not being allowed to work. His work has always been appreciated. Just because he raised his concern he has been transferred. This is sad."

Hitting back at the BJP, Congress leader Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said, "People who were transferred as per the whims and fancies of RSS are being removed. BJP is unnecessarily doing politics in this matter."

This is Shukla's second transfer ever since the Congress formed the government in the state in December last year.

An Indian Police Service officer of the 2013 batch, Jitendra Shukla is now attached with police headquarters. He was posted in Narayanpur before Sukma.