Nearly 250 policemen, including those who were supposed to give Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh a guard of honour went on mass leave on Monday. It has now been found that the incident was due to a rumour that was spread through WhatsApp that the government would reduce their pay scale.
Rajnath inaugurated a regional training centre of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in Jodhpur on Monday. Singh inaugurated the centre for the Western Zone at Bhadwasiya.
Jodhpur police commissioner, Ashok Rathod informed that they had gone on leave on their own and it was not part of a sanctioned leave. Some of them were part of the guard of honour, but they refused to report to duty and hence they had to be replaced with other policemen, Rathod also said.
It is a serious issue and action will follow, Rathod also said. The WhatsApp message said that a new order would reduce the policemen's pay scale from Rs 24,000 to Rs 19,000.
Gulab Chand Kataria, home minister Rajasthan, said that government had not ordered any reduction in the pay scale of any government employee. "A proposal to the effect is with the cabinet, but no employee should believe in these rumors," he said.
Rajasthan DGP Ajit Singh said any indiscipline would not be condoned. "There are rumours pertaining to salary cut issue. We have provided our view to the government.
People should not act in a way that hurt the dignity of profession." The DGP, later, wrote a letter clarifying the actual position.
OneIndia News
