New Delhi: Just a few days ahead of the first anniversary of the 26/11 attacks, Mumbai Police Commissioner D Sivanandan has said that there is no war on any issue within the Mumbai Police.
Sivanandan's comments come after former Mumbai Police commissioner, Gafoor Hasan gave an interview published in The Week in which he has been quoted as saying that some senior police officers "did not appear keen on responding to the situation as it kept dawning on us".
Sivanandan said, "There is no war. The war was fought on 26/11/2008. The Mumbai Police had fought well. The reply of the Mumbai Police (to the terror facing the city) is memorable. They ran towards the terrorists and with whatever weapons they had they fought and sacrificed their lives. Beyond that there is no war. This has to be checked whether anyone had said anything or anything has to be done about it. It is for the government to check."
Adopting a diplomatic approach on Gafoor's comments, Sivanandan said that the government was probing the issue.
"We are not responding to anybody's comments. Whether he made a comment or not one has to ascertain and the government is doing just that. Before that, jumping the gun is inappropriate," Sivanandan stated.
Maharashtra DGP A N Roy also said that the government will take whatever action is required.
"Whatever has to be done or thought the government will do it. I will not comment on it," he said when asked for his comments on the Gafoor issue.
Naming some of the seniors, Hasan had told The Week, "I told you there were a handful. For example, KL Prasad refused to come to the Trident and decided against hitting the roads. Devena Bharti, K Venkatesham and Parambhir Singh did not appear keen on responding to the situation as it kept dawning on us."
Prasad was then the joint commissioner of police (Law and Order) while Bharti was the additional commissioner of police (Crime). Venkatesham was the additional commissioner of police (South Region) and Singh was the additional commissioner of police (Anti-Terrorism Squad).
"Yes, there was dearth of eagerness on the part of a handful of senior officers to be on the ground during those days," Gafoor had said in reply to a question on whether he noticed a bit of unwillingness among the senior officers.
Asked how he felt when he was let down by his own men and if there was a bigger embarrassment, Gafoor said, "Yes there was, indeed. On November 28, I attended a meeting with the DGP and Home Minister. I was told to withdraw the NSG and instead use the Mumbai Police for the ongoing operations. The DGP told me that the entire world was watching us and so we should put an immediate end to the siege and help defuse the crisis. This sounded ridiculous, as the NSG is an elite force that can tackle such crisis situation. I said it was even preposterous to even think of taking off the NSG."
Gafoor is now the Director General of Police (Housing).
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