Ahmedabad: A viral video on social media platform X raised serious questions regarding the conduct of Ahmedabad Police in Gujarat. A video showed Ahmedabad Police personnel allegedly celebrating the birthday of a local BJP leader named Himanshu Chauhan inside the police station. Not just this, the Deputy Commissioner of Ahmedabad Police, Kanan Desai, was seen singing "Happy Birthday" for the leader while in uniform.
Netizens and the opposition Congres party leaders in the state shared the video and objected to the police's action of celebrating the leader's birthday who is said to have a questionable past. The Congress leaders said that it looked like the police station was turned into a place meant for celebrating BJP leaders' functions and "party hall". The video was widely shared on June 28.
Police Denies Charge
Though the Gujarat Police denied the charge, the video tells altogether a different picture. The police said that the cake was cut for a blood-donation day event and not for birthday celebration. However, in the video it can be clearly heard that the police as well as people there are singing, "Happy birthday" song with cakes lined up.
Congress Shares Video
The Congress party in Gujarat and its leaders shared the video extensively to hit out at the BJP govenment in the state.
Amit Chavda, Congress party leader in the Gujarat Assembly, posted the video with and a caption in Gujarat in which he said, "Officers are acting like employees of Kamalam (BJP's Gujarat office) and have transformed the police station into a “Kamalam”. Are the police stations funded by tax payers' money meant to maintain law and order or to serve as Kamalam's party halls? The (state) government must answer."
Former Congress president Jagdish Thakor shared a video, and commented, "In Gujarat, the @BJP4Gujarat government is making special arrangements for birthday celebrations in police stations for BJP workers and leaders. #अहमदाबाद BJP leader's birthday celebration was organised in presence of DCP at Dariyapur area police station, Is this the only thing left to happen in police stations under BJP rule? Gujarat State Home Minister @sanghaviharsh ji, has all this happened with your permission?"
