Antony advises Services chiefs on traffic restrictions

Defence Minister A K Antony has advised the three Services chiefs against imposition of traffic restrictions by Military Police during their movement after his Cabinet colleague Jairam Ramesh complained to him on the issue.
"In reference to your letter regarding the imposition of traffic restrictions by military police during the movement of Service chiefs, I have to inform you that the three Services chiefs have been suitably advised on the matter," Antony told Ramesh in a letter.
Ramesh had written to Antony complaining against "needless traffic restrictions" imposed during the movement of Services chiefs.
He informed the Defence Minister that he himself has been "subjected to inconvenience every now and then. I see no reason why the traffic should be controlled by military police when chiefs are moving in their convoys".

Ramesh had shot a letter to IAF chief Arup Raha also complaining that every other day, the IAF police starts directing traffic and he is at the "receiving end".
He said in a Parliamentary democracy such as India, the job of managing traffic was that of civil police and asked the IAF chief to issue instructions to ensure that traffic does not get affected.

"I can understand restrictions being placed on traffic when the President and the Prime Minister move but I simply cannot understand why this should happen for others," Ramesh had said.
After the letters were written, Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh had said that he will ensure that there is no inconvenience to anybody when his convoy moves.

"As far as not respecting the traffic sense and rules are concerned, I have passed very clear orders that our Military Police should not be anywhere," he had stated.
The Army Chief had also called Ramesh to apologise. "I called him up as a soldier, I regretted that I caused inconvenience to him," he said.
The Army chief noted that policing is a state subject, the local police should control the traffic.
"The traffic will be managed by civil police, it is their right, their job. Let them prioritise the traffic movement. If they need to give priority to somebody, may be somebody much below the chief, so be it," Gen Singh said.