Dr. Ashwini says that Karnataka State Police Association has been doing its best to convince the government to meet the genuine demands of policemen.
The proposed plan of policemen applying leave en masse on June 4 has an impact on Karnataka Government and top police officers. Though there is a recognised forum – Karnataka State Police Association – to express their grievances, the policemen chose to follow Karnataka State Police Mahasabha led by a suspended police constable Shashidhar Venugopal . Majority of policemen complain that Karnataka State Police Association did nothing to redress their grievances that were pending for a quite long time. However, Dr. Ashwini M, president, Karnataka State Police Association, begs to differ. In a brief interview, Dr. Ashwini, who is posted as Additional Director General of Police at Police Headquarters on Nrupathunga Road, narrates the efforts made by the association for the welfare of policemen in the state.
Many policemen say the Karnataka State Police Association has become defunct and has not done anything for the welfare of policemen. Do you agree with them?
The Karnataka State Police Association came into existence more than three decades ago. It is not a new forum. As a president of this association, I am aware of the grievances of policemen. Most of the demands of the policemen are genuine but there are proper means and methods to make the authorities to meet such demands.
You claim that association is more than three-decades old but policemen are not happy with it. They claim that it failed miserably to take care of their welfare.
I agree that many demands, which are genuine, are pending for a quite long time. We have been doing our best to convince the authorities concerned to address those demands. I know that filling up vacancies is being pending for quite a long time. The state government had sanctioned 8,500 constable posts this year as against 25,000 vacancies. Due to this, the existing staffs at police stations are burdened with working extra hours. I am also against policemen working extra hours but there is no other option to maintain law and order in the state.
There is nothing to revel about housing facilities for policemen. Do you agree with this?
Yes it is true that housing facilities are not up to the expectations. The police department has not built the quarters as per the requirement. Many of the existing quarters are not in good condition. Some of the police quarters in Bengaluru are inhabitable. I want the authorities concerned to appoint people exclusively for the maintenance of the police quarters.
What is your opinion on policemen being denied of their weekly off?
I want policemen to avail weekly off without fail. As of now, a police constable who works on his weekly off day gets Rs 300. I want to do away with this monetary benefit. I want the police station officers to introduce roaster system to ensure that all policemen avail weekly offs without any hassles. I am not against police inspectors asking the policemen to work on weekly holidays during emergency or during a VVIP visit but the policemen should allow to avail two days leave during the next week. Compensating it with Rs 300 will not suffice since monetary benefits will not match the benefits of policemen spending quality time with family.
What do you expect from the state government?
I want the state government to have a separate budget for police department. I hope the state government will take note of this. I think having a separate budget will address lot of problems in the police department.
What is your message to policemen?
I want the policemen not to give importance to people with vested interest. I appeal them not to participate in the agitation on June 4 by abstaining from duty. It will attract disciplinary action. I want that no policeman ruin his career by following disgruntled elements.
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 "Karnataka Police protest")
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