Morung Express News
Kohima | June 18
The appeal to retain the present Nagaland Director General of Police, Rupin Sharma gained momentum on Monday, June 18 with a separate signature campaign being held outside PHQ junction organised by concerned citizens, alongside the mass petition initiated by the PHQ staff.
“Putting Rupin Sharma as the DGP is just like putting the right amount of salt in the curry. The DGP is not a political post. When you put the right leader in any system, there is no need to check corruption. Naga people need an honest leader like Rupin Sharma,” a citizen voiced out at the venue of the signature campaign.
“He may not be a Naga, he may be an outsider, but he is more honest than many leaders,” said ST Yapang, a concern citizen and activist participating in the Petition drive. The independent petition drive organised by concerned citizens held a banner which read ‘Retain People’s DGP Rupin Sharma’. Donning on their traditional attires, wives of the DEF jawans from New Reserve, Phesama also joined the appeal standing at the PHQ junction and chanting ‘We want Rupin Sharma’.
“We are all supporting Rupin Sharma because he is honest and truthful. We are receiving what is rightfully ours ever since he joined. Come and see our Police barracks, the staff were living in deteriorating conditions but now it is improving and we believe that it will improve all the more if he stays,” said one of the petition supporters.
The petition drive at PHQ junction was marred by a minor altercation between the petitioners and the security personnel. The peaceful petitioners were forcefully driven out from the arena. They argued that the signature campaign was a peaceful democratic exercise and not an agitation.
“This is not even an agitation, we are just making an appeal,” said Robert Solo, an activist. In a separate petition drive, despite the restriction order by the DGP himself debarring the personnel at PHQ to participate in the signature campaign, the staff at PHQ continued to sign the mass petition.
The petition addressed to Rajnath Singh, Union Minister, Home requested the government not to transfer Sharma stating the reason as ‘it is not in the interest of public service’. A staff also informed that the next phase will amount to a pen down strike.
Sharma belongs to the 1992 India Police Service (IPS) batch and will be retiring in the year 2027. The issue of his transfer has derived mixed responses both from the public and the police department.
“Everyone, even those who do not support him, appreciates the fact that he is not a puppet. It is good to have a leader who can speak up against political leaders,” stated an official, lauding the initiatives of Sharma such as the recent order on excess appointments, and canteens for the welfare of police personnel. Correspondingly, similar signature campaign to retain the incumbent DGP was also carried out in different pockets of Dimapur.
Among others, spontaneous campaign were held in DC Court Junction, Nagarjan Junction, 4th Mile and Chumukidima, where over thousand people append their signatures. An organiser informed that they intend to collect signatures until Thursday or Friday.
