Centre wants Gill for Mission Gujarat, Gandhinagar clueless

Decks have been cleared for former Punjab Director General of Police K P S Gill to take over as security advisor to Gujarat Chief Minister N...

Decks have been cleared for former Punjab Director General of Police K P S Gill to take over as security advisor to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

K P S Gill

Gill, who said he had not received ‘‘any official intimation yet,’’ met Union Home Secretary Kamal Pande this afternoon who is said to have apprised him of his responsibilities given the widespread criticism of the law-and-order machinery in the state.

However, in Gandhinagar, until late tonight, the state government said it had not heard of any such move. Asked about reports of Gill’s appointment, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said: ‘‘All kind of things are floating around.’’

Said Minister of State for Home Gordhan Zadaphia: ‘‘We have no information so far. This rumour is being spread for the past two or three days. There is no discussion here about any such thing.’’

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Asked whether the state government had asked for Gill’s help, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Ashok Narayan said: ‘‘The Home Department has not asked for any such thing. If there is some other decision at the top level, I have no idea.’’

Sources say until a few months ago, Gill was being seriously considered for the post of Governor of Jammu & Kashmir but New Delhi’s plans fell through.

Retired IPS officers junior or equivalent to him in rank have been made Governors. The notification for appointment, North Block officials stressed, would have to come from Gandhinagar as the Centre can make such an appointment only in a state that’s under President’s Rule.

The move to bring in Gill also flies in the face of New Delhi’s official stand on Gujarat that it’s the ‘‘state’s law and order problem’’. It is in keeping with this rigid stand that North Block refrained from sending an official team to Gujarat, unlike in the past when such teams were rushed to West Bengal, Bihar and Tamil Nadu on matters much less serious.

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