Govt creates trouble-maker blacklist for secretariat

AHMEDABAD: The state government is working on a ‘Red Alert System’ to prevent mischief-makers from entering the secretariat and causing trouble. Details from all police stations are being sought about people who have a criminal record and threatened self-immolation so that they can be barred from entering the secretariat.
The General Administration Department (GAD) initiated the step after a person attempted self-immolation in May last year.

The state government has expedited the introduction of the red-alert system after the self-immolation bid by Bhanu Vankar, a Dalit rights activists, who had later succumbed to his injuries in February. The government wants to avoid any such incident which can put a blot on its image. This is apparent from a circular of Mehsana police dated April 2 which has prepared a list of people who had threatened self-immolation and were allegedly involved in illegal activity.

Citing a state government circular issued last year, the Mehsana police circular said: “On May 18, 2017, a person had tried self-immolation on the secretariat campus and the very next day, the home secretary had conducted a review meeting on the safety and security of the secretariat. According to the instruction, a Red Alert System has been prepared. Persons who had given self-immolation threats in the past or were involved in any criminal activity may be barred from the secretariat.”

The Mehsana police had also annexed the list of 15 such people who had either made self-immolation threats or were allegedly involved in criminal activity. Interestingly, the close aide of activist Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani and a leader of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM) — Subodh Parmar — has also been named in the list.

Gandhinagar SP Virendra Yadav, who also holds charge of security of the secretariat, confirmed the development and said they have sought details from all district SPs regarding persons who were either involved in self-immolation or criminal activities. Pradipsinh Jadeja, minister of state (home) said he was not aware of the development.

Kaushik Parmar, a Dalit rights activist associated with RDAM, said that such government diktats cannot hold under law. “The government should proactively listen to the demands of the people. Citizens resort to criminal activities and and self-immolation only if the government ignores their demands,” Parmar said.

“My colleague Subodh Parmar never indulged in criminal activities but the government seems to have acted in a hurry to avoid any blot on its image,” said Parmar.