Gujarat Congress MLA Mevani seeks privilege motion against IPS officer for 'rude behaviour'

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani has sought action against senior IPS officer Rajkumar Pandian for "breach of privilege", claiming that the latter behaved in a "rude and arrogant manner" when he went to the cop's office for a meeting.

Mevani, in a letter handed over to Gujarat assembly speaker Shankar Chaudhary on Tuesday, alleged that Pandian, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of the state SC/ST Cell, insulted him when he went to meet the IPS officer in his office in Gandhinagar earlier that day over some issues concerning Dalits in the state.

According to Mevani, who represents the Vadgam (SC) assembly seat, he along with Gujarat Congress's Schedule Caste department chairman Hitendra Pithadiya went to make a representation to Pandian over some issues of Dalit community in the state on Tuesday.

Soon after entering the chamber, Pandian allegedly asked them to keep their mobile phones outside the chamber. Unhappy with the IPS officer's directive, Mevani then sought to know the rules or law under which Pandian was asking them to keep their cell phones outside the chamber.

"Pandian then got agitated and asked his staff to take the mobile phones claiming that they (Mevani and Pithadiya) might be recording the conversation using their phones. I told him that we are ready to keep our mobile phones outside but such behaviour with an MLA is not appropriate," the letter stated.

It further said Mevani told Pandian that there is a written protocol which mandates that officers must talk in a respectful manner with MPs and MLAs and get up from their seats when these elected representatives enter the chamber. On hearing this, Pandian told both the Congress leaders to leave the chamber saying the meeting was over.

Despite reminding him about the protocol, Pandian allegedly insulted both the Congress leaders in the presence of his staff and even commented on Mevani's attire saying "Why are you wearing a T-shirt despite being an MLA?", claimed Mevani in his letter.

The Congress leader, who is also the party's state working president, said the senior IPS officer has "violated his self-respect by his rude and arrogant behaviour, which does not suit a government servant".

In his appeal to the assembly speaker, Mevani said in the letter, "I hereby request you to take into account my written representation against this arrogant officer and initiate action against him for the breach of privilege".

The assembly speaker's office has not issued any statement over Mevani's demand so far.

"This falls under the purview of the speaker. We will let you know if any decision is taken in this regard," assembly secretary C B Pandya said.