Farmers Movement Archive

Delhi Police constable sacked for social media posts on farmer protests

A Delhi Police constable was dismissed from the force on Wednesday for allegedly using social media to criticise the government’s handling of the farmers’ protest, police officers in the know of the matter said on Friday. For nearly 11 months, different farmer groups from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country have been protesting at Delhi’s three borders points of Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu, against the three contentious farm laws passed last year. The constable, who was posted at the Sabzi Mandi police station in north Delhi, allegedly tagged Central government ministers and the Prime Minister in his posts and allegedly criticised them for their handling of the protest. Delhi police officers, privy to the details of the dismissal, said he was dismissed by police commissioner Rakesh Asthana under Article 311(2) (B) of the Constitution. According to that article, the authority (police commissioner in this case) is empowered to dismiss or remove a person or reduce him/her in rank for some specified reason, which has to be recorded in writing by the authority. The Delhi Police comes under the ministry of home affairs(MHA). The officers said the constable used derogatory language against Central government ministers. Deputy commissioner of police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi said they followed “due procedure”. “After following due procedure of law, the constable has been dismissed under article 311(2) B of the Constitution of India,” he said.A police officer, who asked not to be named, said in the present case, the police headquarters received a complaint on October 7 from the special branch about the constable, who was regularly posting his views on social media and tagging the Prime Minister and other Central government ministers. The special branch is the police’s internal intelligence unit. “ An inquiry was conducted against the constable for posting such content. He was active for the last one or two months. His dismissal order reads that he had indulged in derogatory and inciting language against Central government and high dignitaries,” said the officer quoted above.

Hindustan Times

30-10-2021

Delhi