Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 3: Dr G Parameshwar, who has newly taken over charge as the state home minister, held a meeting with senior police officers at Vidhan Soudha on Monday November 2, and asked them to concentrate more on maintaining law and order situation in the state besides striving to bring down number of criminal cases.

At the meeting, the home minister also asked the police to become more amenable and friendly to the general public. "There has been an alarming increase in incidents of chain snatching, robbery, and burglary in the state. These incidents have created a sense of apprehension and fear in the minds of our people. Such cases can be brought down by intensifying patrolling at the police station level. I want you to evince keen interest on these instructions," the minister said, as per sources.

The minister obtained details of the number of personnel, facilities, training needs etc of his department from the officers. He promised to take steps to fill vacancies in the department, adding that the state government is committed to take all necessary steps to strengthen the department.

The officials, who explained to the minister about the new initiatives undertaken by the department, also made him abreast about the problem of shortage of staff and basic facilities at several places. State director general of police, Om Prakash, home department secretary, Pattanayak, and senior police officers participated in the meeting.

'Not a single firing, lathi charge in my term' : K J George

Outgoing home minister, and current Bengaluru development department minister, K J George, said that he is extremely satisfied by his performance as home minister for 30 months, claiming that during his tenure, not even a single incident of firing or lathi charge had taken place in the state. He added that it was an achievement that had brought him immense happiness.

"Minor incidents would have occurred, but none of the cases were serious enough to affect law and order. The new home minister is capable and experienced, and he might work more efficiently than me," he said. When asked why he was relegated to a less important department from home, George said he does not deem any of the departments as inferior to home. "Distribution of departments is the prerogative of the chief minister. He would have given to me this newly created department with the specific aim of achieving development of this city," he felt.

When his attention was drawn to the statement made by head of Samaja Parivartana Samudaya and rights activist, R S Hiremath, objecting to allotment of this department to him, the minister said he does not need to attach any importance to what Hirematch says, and hence said he does not find it necessary to provide an explanation to it.