RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Dec.14: The traffic personnel are irked over the Ranchi Traffic SP’s direction to greet VIPs, VVIPs and officers while being deputed on posts to regulate traffic. They have taken the order given on December 9 this year as an attempt to promote ‘Babu Culture’ in Jharkhand.
“Saluting senior officers is good but while managing traffic it becomes difficult to salute them. In this situation, issuing a direction for the same suggests that senior officers are more concerned about their post and position than the convenience of common people,” a traffic constable said.
Another traffic constable supported his colleague saying if instruction had been given to ensure proper traffic management keeping convenience of common people in mind we would have welcomed the same but direction to greet officers and VIPs during their movement has made us uncomfortable as people curse us during the VIP movement as he becomes strict taking traffic rules and stop common people for a long time to give uninterrupted passage to VIPs, VVIPs and officers.
Another traffic constable said that while beacon lights and siren were removed from the vehicles of the officers to reduce Babu culture, senior officers want to promote it taking one pretext after another.
Secretary of Jharkhand Policemen Association Ramesh Oraon supported the traffic constables’ view saying greeting anyone at the cost of public convenience is not praise worthy as the entire system is for the common people and in the democracy common people are VIPs.
On December 9, Traffic SP Naushad Alam gave direction observing that the image of traffic personnel has got tarnished due to their habit of either using phones or sitting idle during movement of VIPs, VVIPs and senior officers.
“It is noteworthy that in the light of insensitivity towards your assigned work and not doing your duty honestly, the honourable dignitaries and senior officers have expressed their displeasure by repeatedly raising question marks. It seems clear that you are not serious about your duty; you are not showing any interest towards discharging it honestly, which is a matter of concern…,” the order observes.
