Samikhsya Bureau
The Congress handed over a resounding defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party in Chhattisgarh in the recently concluded assembly elections in the state.
One of the major reasons of the defeat of BJP, which ruled the state for 15 years, was the atrocities committed by the police on the hapless tribal population of the state in the name of anti-Maoist operations. But instead of winning the confidence of the tribals, the newly formed Congress government has taken a decision this week that may make the tribals suspect its intentions.
The government has appointed controversial police officer Shiv Ram Prasad Kalluri, better known as S.R.P. Kalluri, as the chief of the anti-corruption bureau and economic offences wing of the state. This is rather surprising considering that chief minister Bhupesh Baghel was the fiercest critic of Kalluri when he was in the opposition.
Among the tribals in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, the hotbed of Maoist activities, Kalluri is one of the most feared names. As the inspector general of police of Bastar, the Indian Police Service was accused of unleashing rampant human rights violations through vigilante groups that included assault, rape and extrajudicial killings. He enjoyed the full patronage of the BJP government headed by former chief minister Raman Singh.
According to a confidential internal closure report of the Central Bureau of Investigation submitted in 2018, two witnesses said Kalluri participated in an act of burning of tribal homes.
But the police officer was so confident of the Raman Singh government’s support that he did not even bother to respond to summon by the National Human Rights Commission, which wanted him to appear before it in New Delhi in 2016. When a Piyoli Satija, a lawyer, sent him a WhatsApp message in 2017 reminding him about his duty to protect activist Bela Bhatia, whose house was attacked by some vigilante groups, he answered, “F U”.
The Raman Singh government was however forced to ask Kalluri to go on medical leave after it felt his going overboard was hurting the government’s image. At that time Baghel slammed Raman Singh for being ‘lenient’ towards Kalluri. He alleged that Kalluri was openly promoting the anti-social elements who were accused of rapes and murder, and creating havoc in the lives of innocent tribals of Bastar. Baghel said that Kalluri had violated the All India Service rules and strong actions should be taken against him.
However, by rehabilitating Kalluri after becoming the chief minister, Baghel has sent across a clear message that his government may overlook the excesses by a police officer if there are chances that he can be appropriately used for the government or the party in the future. On this, both the Congress and BJP are on the same page but it sends ominous signs to society at large.
