Kashmir BJP chief hands out badges to police graduates - triggered controversy- Normally, it is done by police officers or relatives (of the graduates) but not politicians

The move triggered controversy, prompting a former army brigadier to claim these were the “first steps towards neo-fascism”

The passing out parade of 13th batch of probationer Dy SP and probationer Sub Inspectors, at Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy in Udhampur on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021.: PTI

Muzaffar Raina   |   TT   |   Srinagar   |   14.02.21:  Pictures showing Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina awarding badges to fresh police graduates at a passing-out parade have triggered controversy, prompting a former army brigadier to claim these were the “first steps towards neo-fascism”.

The photos, showing Raina pinning badges on the uniforms of probationary deputy superintendents and other police officers, come amid allegations about various arms of governance being politicised in the country.

A former officer with more than three decades in the Jammu and Kashmir police said no politician had ever before awarded badges to the pass-outs.

“Normally, it is done by police officers or relatives (of the graduates) but not politicians because we are expected to be apolitical,” he said.

It was the BJP’s official Twitter handle that posted the pictures on Friday evening.

“J&K President Sh.@ImRavinderRaina awarded badges to the newly passed out Dy SP & Sub Inspectors at Police Academy, Udhampur,” the tweet read.

One of the pictures shows Raina, who does not hold any constitutional post, and another former party MLA posing with more than a dozen pass-outs. Two others show Raina pinning badges on the shoulders of, respectively, a woman police officer and a male officer.

The pictures were from an event on Friday at the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy in Udhampur, Jammu, where lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and other senior dignitaries were present.

Academy director S.D. Singh Jamwal, who is an additional director-general of police, played the incident down, claiming the media was “creating this all” and some people were giving the matter a “twist”.

The incident left many incensed, including former Brigadier C.K. Sood who lost his son, Major Anuj Sood, to a gunfight last year in Kashmir.

“This is all that the new normal speaks of. First steps towards neo-fascism in India,” Sood, who operates the @Zachaldar handle, tweeted.

“Won’t be surprised if HM (home minister) does the honours to IPS officers this year. JKP (Jammu and Kashmir police) is just the start.”

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah spoke about challenging Raina’s act in the courts.

“Never fails to amaze me how most of the J&K administration, both civil & police, grovels in front of BJP functionaries,” Omar tweeted.

“The state president pins badges & ranks in a police passing out parade having no position of authority in J&K what so ever. Shame on this government.”

Omar added: “Early next week we will challenge this undemocratic action in the courts of law.”

Jamwal said Raina, a former Rajouri MLA, had awarded the badges to a few “relatives or friends” from his erstwhile constituency after the official event had ended.

“Some people are giving it a twist. He was one of the spectators. How could he award badges?” Jamwal told The Telegraph.

“He did not do it with all the 600 pass-outs, just two or three of them from his constituency, his relatives or friends…. If he had done it with all of them, there could have been some motive.”

Jamwal said local MLAs are routinely invited to such events. But the invitees were former MLAs since Jammu and Kashmir has no Assembly now.

“When I became ADG I got it (pinning of the badge) done through my father,” Jamwal said. “We all do it.”