New Delhi, (Samajweekly) Outgoing Delhi Police Commissioner S.N. Shrivastava, on Wednesday, said what the city police did during Red Fort violence by protesting farmers gave good results.
Speaking at his farewell address to the force at Kingsway Camp in north Delhi, Shrivastava, a 1985-batch Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre of Indian Police Service, said the Delhi Police exercised restraint despite provocation.
“What we did gave good results. I told my policemen to exercise restraint despite facing provocation. They (policemen) had to jump from 15 feet at Red Fort but they never left the path of restraining,” Shrivastava said.
Thousands of protesters had participated in a huge rally in Delhi on Republic Day this year to call for the repeal of three contentious farm laws. Some groups broke through barricades and clashed with the police, who used tear gas and batons to push them back.
Some protesters also forced their way into the Red Fort, climbed its ramparts and hoisted the Nishan Sahib, a religious flag that flies atop gurudwaras.
The Delhi Police claimed the incident a “deep-rooted conspiracy” to embarrass India and a case was filed subsequently under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the incident. The police also invoked sedition charges. Actor-activist Deep Sidhu, Sidhana and several others were named in the charge sheet filed in the case.
Shrivastava further said that the people who serve as the chief of Delhi Police are temporary, but the force is permanent.
“I was the 22nd Police Commissioner of Delhi. We all are temporary, we come and go after we make our contribution, but Delhi Police is permanent, providing security and law and order to the people of Delhi.”
Shrivastava also discussed the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and said how he had the responsibility of keeping Delhi and his police personnel safe.
Talking about social media, the outgoing Delhi Police Commissioner said that the Delhi Police has increased their presence on the platform.
Shrivastava, who had taken charge as Delhi Police Commissioner on February 28 last year in the backdrop of riots in north east Delhi, inspected the parade at Kingsway Camp on the last day at the office.
