Centre may step in if affected IPS men in Gujarat want so: Chidambaram

Asked whether the Centre can intervene to resolve the crisis,the Home Minister said,“Rules do provide for the 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,we will certainly look into it.”

The Home Minister’s reaction comes in the backdrop of Gujarat police action against IPS officers Sanjiv Bhatt and Rahul Sharma.

While Bhatt,who had filed a PIL before the Supreme Court against the Narendra Modi goverment over the Godhra issue,was suspended a few days back,DIG rank officer Rahul Sharma was issued a showcause notice for giving CDs of call records during the violence to various agencies including the SIT.

BJP reacted sharply to the Home Minister’s remarks with senior party leader Arun Jaitley saying,“It is a state matter and the BJP has serious objections to the statement. If policemen break discipline,the state government can take action. If there is unnecessary interference by the Government of India,the BJP will raise the issue seriously.”

He said taking disciplinary action against police personnel facing serious allegations was the duty of the state government.