Gujarat cops defy govt, form unions

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat policemen on Thursday defied the state government and formed two unions - after a 17-year legal battle.

Around 4,000 constables, head constables and police inspectors from across the state participated in a meet on the outskirts of the city and formed the unions and elected their presidents.
 
While the state government had for long time denied them the permission to form a union, the Gujarat High Court had observed in March this year that the police personnel had a right to form a union.

"The objective of forming police unions is definitely not to confront the state. It is to exercise our right of proper representation before the government regarding our problems and needs like education of their children," Naresh Brahmabhatt, who led the efforts to form unions, told the gathering.

Brahmbhatt was elected president of the newly formed 'Gujarat State Police Head Constable & ASI (Assistant Sub Inspector) Union'. Another union of the state's police constables was also formed on the occasion.

"The unions passed resolutions demanding recognition from the state government, enabling their presidents with authority to have dialogue with the Director General of Police (DGP) and with the government on their behalf and expressing need to form policemen's unions at district levels," said Jan Sangharsh Manch lawyer Mukul Sinha, who pleaded their case in the court.

"I am sure all 60,000 policemen in the state would be happy with the formation of the unions," Sinha added.