A petitioner has claimed that the Central government has acted ruthlessly against its own brave and deserving officers by denying them gallantry awards for their critical contribution during the November 26, 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.
Ketan Tirodkar, who had filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court seeking awards for the members of Mumbai Police’s Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) who had thwarted the 26/11 attack by defusing grenades and RDX-filled cases, has now filed a rejoinder before the court.
The rejoinder filed before Justices P V Hardas and Anuja Prabhudesai on Friday rued that the Central government had treated its “deserving officers in such vicious manner as if to give them an impression that they do not belong to this country.”
Four years after the State government had submitted a proposal to give gallantry awards to the officers, who had fought the terrorists including Ajmal Kasab during the audacious terror attack on the financial capital of the country, the Central government rejected the proposal without citing any reasons.
The Central government had conveyed the rejection of the proposal in a single-line letter issued to the Maharashtra government.
The list of officers included 19 members of the BDDS team, some police personnel who fought the terrorists, and were instrumental in saving the lives of victims. “Furthermore, officers like Shri Vishwas Nangre-Patil did not figure in the list sent by the State in year 2008-09. Still, he has been honoured with bravery award on 26th January this year for his services rendered on 26th (November, 2008),” the rejoinder stated.
“The list (sent by the State government to the Central government) contains name of one police driver Shri Nivrutti Gawhane, who received three bullet injuries on the fateful day while performing duty outside Leopold restaurant. No reason has been cited by the Centre while rejecting the gentleman a proportionate honour. Same is the case with so many others such as API Rajendra Kadam who had then accompanied Police Commissioner late Shri Hasan Gafoor to the Trident and had fought a battle with the militants on top floors saving life of a lady whom he along with his colleagues carried on stretcher to the hospital,” the rejoinder has stated.
Mr Tirodkar has said that the woman victim wrote back to the State, thanking the officials for saving her life, “but Centre is silent.”
He has claimed that according to Central government’s own rules, every proposal should be decided in not more than two years. “In this case the mandatory period is surpassed for unknown reasons,” the rejoinder pointed out.
Officers not insured as premium wasn’t paid
“On that fateful day, these officers were not insured by the State as the premium was not paid to the insurance company,” the rejoinder has claimed. Mr Tirodkar said the State government generally provides insurance protection to its special squads like the BDDS.
