Ahmedabad: Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his direct intervention against Home Minister P Chidambaram for his remarks on Gujarat IPS officers, saying they were aimed at "promoting indiscipline" in the police force.
"Congress-led UPA government is trying to destabilise the democratically-elected government of the state of Gujarat," Modi said in his letter to the Prime Minister.
"Home Minister's comments made yesterday were aimed at promoting indiscipline in the police force of the state," he said.
Modi sought the prime minister's intervention in the matter, saying that those who are making such comments should be told not to do so.
His letter to the prime minister came after Chidambaram's remark on Friday that the Centre could intervene on the issue of IPS officers of Gujarat if the affected officers want so.
"Rules do provide for central government to take certain decisions at certain stages but that stage has to be invoked by the officer concerned. If officer concerned invokes the rule, certainly we will look into it," the Home Minister said.
The Gujarat government has suspended IPS officers Sanjiv Bhatt and charge sheeted another senior officer Rahul Sharma who have spoken against it over the 2002 riots.
"The relationship and power structure between the Centre and the state have been clearly demarcated, which are being violated by such statements. Such blatant remarks by the Home Minister will create deep crisis in the federal fabric of the nation," Modi said in the letter.
"Looking at the series of such incidents during last two years, I regret to bring to your notice that there seems to be a definite pattern of conspiracy in meddling with Gujarat's affairs. Such selective interference is a cause for major concern, as it goes against constitutional principles," Modi said.
"Unfortunately, it appears that UPA government at the Centre is a party to these activities, in one way or other, with a strong hidden agenda to destabilize a progressive and performing State like Gujarat. I firmly believe that you cannot build a strong India by destabilizing and weakening progressive and development-oriented States in a federal structure. At any cost, we should not convert these constitutional arms as political battle-fields by misusing them," he said.
"Apart from the Home Minister, many other ministers have also commented on the issues on similar lines," he pointed out.
"Regarding the Home Minister's comment, I would like to draw your attention that the All India Services Rules are very clear about the issue," the Gujarat chief minister said.
"These police officials come in state cadre and their affairs are concerned with the state government. As per the all India service rules, the state government has the right to take actions like suspension, departmental inquires and punitive actions against erring officials," Modi asserted.
This right has been given to the state government under the federal structure by the All India Service Rules, he wrote.
Neither the central government nor any other authority can subvert this right of the state government, Modi pointed out.
"The service rules also provide that such officers can approach Central Administrative Tribunal, High Court or Supreme Court," Modi further said.
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