Gurugram: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has justified a senior police officer being made to apologise to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manish Singla for stopping him from entering a VIP enclosure.
The incident that occurred during a public event in Sirsa on 27 April, has triggered a political uproar, with opposition leaders such as Akhilesh Yadav, Deepender Hooda and Digvijay Chautala as well as farmer unions slamming the BJP government for undermining police morale.
The controversy stems from an event where Saini was to flag off the ‘Drug-Free Haryana Cyclothon 2.0’ in Sirsa. Manish Singla, the son of former Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, was stopped by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jitender Singh Rana from entering a VIP enclosure due to security protocols.
Singla, who arrived before the chief minister, was not recognised by the DSP and was escorted away from the venue. A subsequent 69-second video of DSP Rana apologising to Singla at the latter’s residence went viral, igniting widespread criticism.
Addressing the media, CM Saini justified the apology Wednesday, asserting that the DSP, as a responsible officer, should have verified Singla’s identity before taking action.
“He is a responsible officer. He should have checked or inquired about the person. If a junior police staff makes such a mistake, it’s a different matter, but how can a senior officer act like this?” Saini remarked.
He further noted that a video of the DSP escorting Singla out of the venue was also circulating, questioning how the event’s organiser could be removed without verification. “There is a system, isn’t there? He should have verified,” the CM added.
Saini, however, disapproved of the apology video being made public. “That video should not have gone viral. It’s (the conduct) wrong, whether it’s an officer or me. We are accountable to the public.”
He contrasted the current situation with past governments, alleging that officers were previously humiliated publicly. “In earlier regimes, they would strip officers and make them stand in the sun. Did they do this to officers or not?” he asked rhetorically.
Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav condemned the act, on ‘X’. “Forcing a dedicated police officer to apologise on camera… aren’t BJP members undermining police morale? Shameful!”
Congress MP Deepender Hooda and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Digvijay Chautala also criticised the government, accusing it of prioritizing political egos over institutional integrity.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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