Centre trying to propose names for DGP post, says TN minister, as AIADMK flays govt for delay

Chennai, Oct 23 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Minister S Regupathy has claimed that the Centre proposed names of officers it preferred for appointment as new Director General of Police for the state, but the state government declined it as “unacceptable.”

The delay in appointing the new DGP was because of the Union government, he alleged and lashed out at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for blaming the government for keeping the top post vacant “with an eye on next year’s Assembly election.

“Palaniswami appears to have forgotten how long his AIADMK government had ruled the state without a DGP. Now he is blaming the Chief Minister (M K Stalin), who is fighting for the state’s rights,” the Minister for Natural Resources said.

He was responding to Palaniswami’s criticism that the Chief Minister had not appointed a full-time DGP allegedly for electoral gains and was “playing with people’s safety.” “The tenure of the Law and Order DGP in Tamil Nadu ended in August. But the Chief Minister has not appointed a full-time DGP to maintain law and order, with the aim of appointing a suitable officer who will help during the election,” Palaniswami had said in a post on the social media platform ‘X’ on Wednesday.

The Minister claimed that the Union Public Service Commission did not accept the views of the Tamil Nadu government, which is responsible for maintaining law and order in the state, but sent a list proposing only the officials it wanted.

“Since this list was not acceptable to the Tamil Nadu government, the Chief Secretary has written a letter to the UPSC fully explaining the reasons for it. While the answer has not been received, the Leader of the Opposition’s reaction seemed like the proverbial saying that the wolf wept because the sheep were getting wet,” Regupathy said in a statement here today.

“What else can we expect from Palaniswami, who is clinging to his post by giving up the rights of the state during his tenure (as Chief Minister),” the Minister further said.

Regupathy asserted that the issue was not about the Tamil Nadu government appointing the DGP but the Centre attempting to influence, he said and claimed that this amounted to “interference.” At the meeting of the selection panel, the Tamil Nadu government registered its strong objection to the proposal of some names in “violation of rules,” he said.

At present, G Venkataraman is serving as the acting DGP, since the retirement of Shankar Jiwal on August 31.

“The UPSC has submitted a final list of three eligible officers for the post of DGP. The delay in the appointment only indicates that the government wants to handpick the official,” Palaniswami had alleged. PTI