‘No place for politicians,anti-socials in staff rally’

For former chief ministers Shankersinh Vaghela and Suresh Mehta’s political outfit,Prabbudh Nagrik Shakti Manch (PNSM),the ban,however,continues to be in place and any violation will lead to strict punitive action,the police said.

The Ahmedabad police had on Friday evening cancelled permission for organising rallies and holding public meetings that they had given to the GSECC and the PNSM earlier. Joint Commissioner of Police Satish Sharma attributed the police order to fresh intelligence inputs about possibility of terror strikes in the city on Sunday and information about some prominent politicians planning to use the GSECC platform to raise their political issues.

“While cancelling their permissions,we had also told these organisations that they will be allowed to carry on with their scheduled programme if they were willing to shift the venue to one of the two non-sensitive places that we had suggested. The GSECC approached us on Saturday morning seeking permission to go ahead with their programme in one of the two locations,the GMDC ground,and we allowed them,” Sharma said.

Stressing that the GSECC is a state government employees’ organisation,Sharma said: “The permission is only for government employees and no outsider,including political leaders,will be allowed to disrupt or participate in it. As a precautionary measure,we have asked all participants to bring their identity cards with them. Anyone who fails to produce the ID card will be kept out.”

He added,“Action will be taken against unauthorised persons,including politicians and those with political links,who attempt to violate the order.”

On being asked about the possible police action in case the PNSM goes ahead with its pre-declared programme,Sharma said: “No one from the PNSM has approached us for permission to carry on with their programme at one of the suggested venues. Since the PNSM has presently got no police permission,any such attempt by them will be considered violation of the police commissioner’s order. As a law enforcement agency,we will use required provisions of the IPC if needed.”

The officer also said that the entire city police force,along with over 500 police personnel from outside the city,has been deployed. “This apart,we have also roped in six companies of SRP,one company of women SRP and two companies of RAF to ensure that the no untoward incident is reported in the city,” Sharma added.