GAFOOR’S GAFFES

The knives are out for Hasan Gafoor, former Police Commissioner of Bombay. The ostensible reason is his off-the-record interview where he castigated 4 senior IPS Officers for shirking their responsibility during the 26/11 attack on Bombay.
Mr Gafoor had it coming, and I shall tell you why.

But first, a brief mention about how secure we feel in Bombay. I don’t know about you, but frankly, I feel safe. However, that feeling of security is borne more out of faith in God than an inherent confidence in our police. My confidence is further eroded when I read the strong accusations of incompetence, inefficiency and even conspiracy levelled against the Bombay Police by Mrs. Hemant Karkare and Mrs Ashok Kamte, wives of the killed IPS Officers. I mean, if IPS wives do not have faith in the police force, what about we ordinary folks? Hardly ever has the morale of the Bombay Police, once rated as the best in the country, been so low. Bombay has seen many Police Commissioners – a few were brilliant, some were average, some less than that, a few were the Page 3 butterfly-types, and one or two outright crooks. But never have the Bombay Police been made so much of a laughing stock as now. Mr Julio Ribeiro was the last of the icons – straight-talking, no-nonsense, leading from the front with an I-give-a-bloody-damn-to-the-politicians attitude. Nobody has come anywhere near him, so far. A shame and a pity, for it reflects poorly on the political leadership.

In a face-saving exercise CM Ashok Chavan joined by former DG of Punjab Police Mr KPS Gill grandiosely said the other day that the police are a disciplined force. Pardon me, gentlemen, but this is a view held only by you two! Nobody else, least of all any policeman, anywhere in the country has said so. In the present context it is as laughable as saying that the IT Department will bring Koda and his crores to book! Incidentally, Mr Gill is immortalized not only for his role in tackling extremism in the Punjab but also for supposedly having pinched the bottom of a senior lady IAS officer. He bit off more than he could chew, for the “pinchee” took the pincher right upto the Supreme Court which substantially said that he was guilty of focussing his attention and fingers on the posterior of the lady.

But to come back to Gafoor’s Gaffe. After the stink hit the ceiling Mr Gafoor first denied having said anything bad about the 4 officers, only to admit a few days later that he did say it but that it was in a private conversation off the record. Now, now, wait a minute, Gafoor sa’ab. After 35 years in the IPS, surely you should know that there is no such thing as “off the record”! Politicians can say anything, and get away with it because nobody takes them seriously in any case. But NOT you! And if what you say is true, Mr Gafoor, why did you wait for a whole year to say it? And again, if what you say is true, Mr Gafoor, why have you not taken any action against the 4 Officers for dereliction of duty?

Surely you know that Rule 3(1) of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules says that every Government servant shall at all times maintain absolute integrity, devotion to duty and do nothing which is unbecoming of a Government servant! And if you failed or forgot to take action against them then for violating Rule 3(1), why don’t you do so now?

The aggrieved officers have threatened to take their erstwhile boss to court for defamation, the CM and the Home Minister have certified that the wounded 4 are actually good lads, and one senior officer with a reputation for uprightness threatened to resign if the Government did not back him. What a joke! It is this demoralization and division in the ranks that makes us feel downright insecure. In fact CM Ashok Chavan must ask Mr Gafoor to explain why he treated the alleged dereliction of duty by the 4 officers so casually. Rule 3(2) of the above Rules says that every Government servant shall take all possible steps to ensure the integrity and devotion to duty of all Government servants under his control and authority. Clearly Mr Gafoor has failed in this task.

Now, I grant that most senior Government officers have abysmally failed in this task and have habitually violated Rule 3(2). But when one desists from taking action under the Conduct Rules while at the same time despairing and bemoaning the lack of devotion to duty, it is a different thing altogether. That’s why I say that Mr Gafoor had it coming. Gafoor failed to crack the whip when he should have.

Actually, I feel sorry for Mr Gafoor and his Hamlet-esque inaction, so let me say something in his defence. The CM and the HM have threatened Mr Gafoor with a major penalty, not for not taking action against his subordinates for alleged dereliction of duty but for giving an interview. This is another joke! Demotion and dismissal from service are some of the major penalties, neither of which can be invoked for shooting off the mouth. The foot-in-mouth disease does not call for a major penalty, unless confidential documents or state secrets have been leaked. At worst, Mr Gafoor can be censured - a minor penalty - for giving an interview without prior approval.

I have a suggestion to offer Mr Gafoor. He should start penning his memoirs before 26/11 fades into the misty haze of history. As for the dispensers of jokes in Mantralaya, they should seriously prepare a succession line of Ribeiro-like Commissioners who will turn us ordinary folks into Believers – not only in the Almighty but also in the Bombay Police.

Cheers, and have a safe New Year!