Gujarat gets first Muslim DGP; VHP is not pleased

Gujarat gets first Muslim DGP; VHP is not pleased
The Gujarat government on Saturday transferred Director General of Police P C Pande, who had come under cloud during post-Godhra riots, replacing him with Shabbir Hussain Shekhadam Khandwawala, the first IPS officer from the minority community for the top police post in the state.

City Police Commissioner O P Mathur was also shifted and S K Saikia, a man with a clean image, brought in his place, sources in the Chief Minister's office said.

The removal of Pande, who has been posted as Director General of Anti-Corruption Bureau, as DGP was apparently a premptive action by the state government ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. He was removed as DGP by the Election Commission ahead of 2007 assembly polls in Gujarat and was brought back in the same post after the elections.

Mathur has been posted as Director General of Communications. Both Pande and Mathur are going to retire on March 31 this year.

Though the government has maintained that these were routine transfers, but sources said that transfers were done keeping in mind the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Sources said the government anticipates the EC might once again transfer Pande as Lok Sabha polls dates are likely to be released next month and the model code of conduct will go into force.

P C Pande was the Police Commissioner of the city during the 2002 riots when many people of minority community were killed under his jurisdiction.

Khandwawala was the seniormost police officer of Gujarat IPS cadre and had he been superseded, it would have sent a wrong signal, official sources said.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad has expressed reservations against the appointment of Khandwawala as state police chief.

VHP leader Pravin Togadia said that in 1990 the Parishad had launched an agitation against Khandwawala who was then Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Ahmedabad.

"He was partial against the majority community and has soft corner towards the minority community," Togadia alleged.

City Police Commissioner Mathur might have been transferred as he is considered to be close to the BJP government, sources said.

Meanwhile, the state government has written to the Centre for extension of service of Pande and Mathur for six months, a reply to which is awaited, sources in the office of the Chief Minister said.
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