CM warns centre to withdraw from AGMU over IGP issue

| 03 February 1999 22:02 IST

Heading for an open confrontation with the centre, the Goa government has decided to set up its own state cadre for the police, withdrawing its official consent for Goa's inclusion in the AGMU cadre, consisting of Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and union territories.

"Delhi dumps unwanted police officers in Goa and Arunachal Pradesh", alleges chief minister Luizinho Faleiro, while insisting on having his own state cadre so that he could have 'dedicated' police officers in the tourist state.

It has become an issue today since the union home minister L K Advani has refused Faleiro's plea to retain P S R Brar as the state's additional DGP, the post upgraded recently from the IGP rank. R S Sahaye, a senior IPS officer, has already taken over as the new IDGP.

While the tourist state was getting all IPS officers from the union territory cadre till it was granted statehood in 1987, the Goa government had given a temporary consent the following year for its inclusion in the AGMU cadre. The tussle has however now started on who should head Goa's police force.

"IGP is not the issue. But as the state, it is my prerogative to decide the officer I want", says Faleiro, while announcing his decision to withdraw the temporary consent for the AGMU cadre. "Even the five lakh small state like Sikkim is having its own state cadre", he points out.

Contrary to these claims, most of the IPS officers hesitate to come to Goa also because of the humiliation they face from the authorities. Even today, the sole IPS officer besides the ADGP in the state is being posted in the non-IPS post while the IPS posts are filled by non-IPS Goan officers.

Besides the upgraded post of the additional DGP, Goa has four more IPS posts, including the DIG and three SPs for the North district, South district and the CID wing. All the three posts of the SPs are presently headed by non-IPS Goan officers while the IPS officer is holding charge of the headquarters.

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