State Police Chief (SPC) T.P. Senkumar on Saturday said that he did not foresee a path of confrontation with the State government.
The SPC told journalists that he had sought the permission of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over phone prior to assuming office. “I’m the head of an important department. As a public servant I will work for the betterment of the people and the government I am duty-bound to serve,” he said.
Raman Srivastava, the honorary advisor to Chief Minister on Police, Fire Force and Prisons in the rank of Chief Secretary, would perform his assigned role. Mr. Srivastava has attended meetings chaired by the Chief Minister. He has not attended any internal police meetings.
“I don't know whether there is an internal police advisor. Mr. Srivastava’s task is to advise the Chief Minister, which he would continue to do”, Mr. Senkumar replied amidst a chorus of laughter when asked whether he would heed by the police advisor’s counsel.
Mr. Senkumar fielded questions about his “disaffected” official relationship with Chief Secretary Nalini Netto, who he had blamed for his removal as SPC last May, stating that he saw no impediment in forging a working relationship. Some aspect he would not speak about because it would tantamount to opining on matters under judicial consideration.
Mr. Sen used the same argument repeatedly to field questions on the Perumbavoor rape-murder case, the “derogatory comments” made by Power Minister M. M. Mani against women and the Jishnu Prannoy case.
The SPC said he found common ground as an officer and a citizen by what the Chief Minister told law enforcers recently at police range level meetings. He had read in newspapers that the Chief Minister wanted the police to be polite and fair to the public but stern in upholding the law. Mr. Pinarayi had also stressed on the safety of women and children. He would toward achieving the policing aims as articulated by the Chief Minister.
