Law and order situation better: Kothari

Bhopal, Mar 10: Madhya Pradesh Home and Transport Minister Himmat Kothari claimed that law and order situation in the state was better as compared to other states. Replying to debate over budgetary demands of Police, Home and Transport departments for 2008-09, Bhargava said Gadaria and Jagjivan Parihar dacoit gangs had been eliminated during the four-year-old BJP rule. Besides, a naxalite weapons factory was busted and a naxal camp was demolished.

As a part of its efforts to control organised crime, 144 dacoits were slain in 208 encounters and 492 dacoits were arrested. Dacoits Ranashray Fakkad and Arvind Gurjar surrendered. Police seized 492 weapons and 3,580 cartridges from these bandits. Eleven companies of Special Police Force and one CRPF company were posted in naxalite-affected areas and modern equipments provided to them. Huge quantities of smack, heroin, opium and hemp were seized as a part of efforts to curb illicit drug trade. In order to boost morale of police force, 1,848 police officials were promoted, backlog of SC/ST posts filled, SC/ST police stations created and a board constituted for Police Act as per Supreme Court directives.

Kothari said transport police stations had been notified at several places. He alleged that the Centre did not fulfill its promise to provide Rs 290 crore assistance after the government became the first state to close the State Transport Corporation and payment of second installment was still pending. The government gave voluntary retirement to 9,000 employees of the MPSTC and the remaining 1,300 would be provided voluntary retirement soon. 'Star Bus' service was started for improving urban transport and bus service for improving rural transport. Online payment system was started to prevent corruption in transport department.

Initiating the debate, Satyedeo Katare of Congress mentioned about the incident of abduction and loot of a relative of the Home Minister and said law and order situation had deteriorated. Political intervention has dealt a blow to police morale. He said dalit women were being set afire and criminals roaming freely under police protection. Eager investors were not safe due to increased crime graph. He alleged that incidents of communal violence had increased and asked why those involved were not being arrested. Katare claimed that road accidents had increased but the government was not serious. He demanded constitution of Transport Authority for this purpose. Besides, Girija Shankar Sharma, Lal Singh Arya, Sunil Nayak, Ram Lakhan Sharma, Indrajeet Kumar and Ram Niwas Rawat and Kishore Samirte took part in the debate. After Kothari's reply, the Rs 1,484.46 crore budgetary demands for Police, Home and Transport departments were passed.