Shimla: Faced with boycott of the mess food by the police constables, who are also openly using social media to air their grievances relating to discrimination in the services, a mandatory contractual period of eight years, Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu has come-out with a warning.
In an advisory issued from the police headquarters, Kundu asked the police constables to use their mess facility as usual and also avoid social media posts to criticise the government about not considering their demand for a parity in the services with other employees.
The constables belonging to four batches recruited after 2015 had alleged that the state government had cut down the contractual period of other employees from three years to two years on November 27.
An announcement to this effect was made by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur during a meeting of Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) of different employees unions but the police constables who have also been asking for scrapping of the rules framed in 2015 for regularisations of their services in eight years, were not considered.
Thus, hundreds of constables had marched upto the Chief Minister's residence and staged a silent protest. They were assured that their demands would be considered but nothing has happened thereafter.
The constables ,thereafter, had stopped using their official mess facility for the food. They also started a campaign on social media for justice.
As the Chief Minister considered it as an embarrassment to the government he asked the DGP to take appropriate steps to see the end of the boycott and even social media tirade.
In the advisory Kundu has reminded the constables as being part of the disciplined force which was recently awarded "Presidential Colours", should maintain discipline and not display resentment in such a manner on Social Media.
A Twitter post of Himachal Pradesh police says "all police constables are requested that if they have any demand related to pay discrepancy, then please give a written memorandum to the state government through police headquarters," a post mentioned.
Later this evening the Chief Minister said the demands of the constables were being examined and some solution will be found to address the issue but meanwhile they should stop raising their views on social platforms.
He admitted that the police constables marching towards his residence, though as a silent protest, was not a good thing and it should not happen again.
"We had messaged that few people( constables) wanted to meet. I said that is not a problem but I was surprised to see everyone reaching in numbers," he remarked.