An Unceremonious Exit

Kanwar Pal Singh Gill was in high spirits on New Year’s eve. A party was underwayat his home in Chandigarh. Assisted by the finest scotch, the bonhomie was tangible whenGill’s aide, Ajay Pandey, bounded in with a fax and a worried frown. After a cursoryglance, Gill waved it away. "Don’t worry," he said. "Not don’tworry, sir. Hurry," Pandey shot back. The fax put an abrupt end to Gill’s longinnings as DGP, Punjab.

The man who is credited with controlling militancy in Punjab and whohad become a national hero, was now unceremoniously told to go. Although talk ofGill’s retirement was in the air—he was on his third extension—the mannerof his exit came as a rude shock. "It was a graceless send-off,"said Akalileader Surjit Singh Barnala.

In fact, the Akalis, hitherto critical of Gill, have condemned the Centre for itscavalier treatment of the former DGP. "He should have been informed at least afortnight in advance and given time to wind up his affairs. A new assignment should havebeen announced simultaneously. There was no need for the Government to have been sosecretive," noted Captain Kanwaljeet Singh, member of the Akali Dal (Badal) faction.

Gill’s exit comes at a time when militancy in Punjab is showing signs ofresurgence and, significantly, when elections are around the corner. It is being viewednot so much as a vote of no-confidence against the supercop in the wake of former chiefminister Beant Singh’s assassination, but as an indication that Gill had become anelectoral liability for the Congress. The hue and cry over continuing policehigh-handedness and human rights violations in Punjab made it expedient for the rulingparty to shunt Gill out to make it clear that he was no longer in favour.

Punjab Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar is believed to have lobbiedfor Gill’s ouster. He apparently resented Gill’s larger-than-life image and thetwo jockeyed for control over the police administration. "There was an enormous clashof egos. Besides, Brar did not treat Gill with the deference shown by Beant Singh,"observed former Akali general secretary M.S. Khaira.

While the Congress hopes to gain from Gill’s departure, the Akalis dismiss him asan electoral non-issue. Whether his exit will affect militancy in Punjab remains to beseen. "Graves are full of indispensable people," pointed out Khaira. Gill’ssuccessor, O.P. Sharma, has an excellent reputation, both professionally and personally.In fact, Gill has a high regard for Sharma’s experience in anti-terroristoperations. 

The assassination of Beant Singh and the recent seizure of large quantities of RDX havefuelled fears that militancy is not yet dead. According to Kanwaljeet Singh,"Militancy faded away because the movement had been infiltrated by both the securityforces and anti-social elements; and the people were suffering as a result. But the basicissues which sparked off militancy have yet to be addressed." He pointed out that noattempt was made to implement the Rajiv-Longowal accord.

Moreover, a section of the police force is deeply apprehensive about Gill’sdeparture. The Gill-Beant combine was seen as a major factor in the no-holds-barred war onmilitancy. Now, with human rights activists carrying the day, the police fear increasingpolitical interference and a soft approach towards militancy.

FOR their part, the Akali leaders feel that Gill did himself out of a job byaggressively distancing the police force from political interference. The Congressresented the police autonomy as it wished to use the police network in the next elections.Hence, they say, the more pliable Sharma was appointed. While Sharma is said to benobody’s stooge, he combines competence with an unassuming persona which could helpthe ruling party in making good its promise to "give the police a human face" inPunjab.

The Congress needs all the help it can get, as it faces the first realelectoral contest in Punjab in 10 years. Reports of corruption during Beant Singh’stenure have marred the party’s prospects at the hustings. While Brar himself has aclean image and is stressing corruption-free governance, he is perceived as too weak toenforce the ruthless spring-cleaning required.

Besides, dissidence is rife despite Brar’s efforts to carry the party with him byincluding Beant loyalists in his cabinet. To consolidate his position, he has beenlobbying hard for the post of PCC chief for either himself or his wife, who has alreadyassumed de facto control.

 Meanwhile, Gill is keeping a stiff upper lip and maintaining a stoic silence inthe face of rumours that he will get either a diplomatic or a gubernatorial assignment.Another rumour is that he may be asked to set up a central unit to coordinateanti-terrorist activities countrywide. His chances of being appointed Jammu and Kashmirgovernor or adviser to the Home Ministry have been reduced with his political patron,Environment Minister Rajesh Pilot, having been marginalised.

Whatever the post, his personal security is a prime consideration as he tops theterrorists’ hit-list. Both former Punjab governor S.S. Ray and his adviser, J.F.Ribeiro, had been posted abroad because of security considerations. While the posts of USambassador and UK high commissioner will fall vacant soon, contenders are expected to havea good human rights record.

Gill says he is content to settle in his cottage in Himachal Pradeshand start work on his autobiography; Penguin India has been awaiting the manuscript forseveral years. He is philosophical about the flattering response to his retirement in thepress, which had been castigating him for complacency and arrogance just weeks earlier:"The media goes through these love-hate phases."

 And in the capital, the buzz is that Gill will be asked to cleanup his act before being handed a new assignment. One factor against a diplomatic post isthe Rupan Deol Bajaj case, which has followed him into retirement. Last week, Gill showedup in court to answer charges...as an ordinary citizen at last.