Painter's IPS daughter paints her story of grit

 Even as her exit as police chief of Fatehabad was “unceremonious” following a face-off with a Haryana Cabinet minister on Friday, IPS officer Sangeeta Kalia worked with a strong emotive connect at the place where her father once worked as a painter in the police department.

Sangeeta’s father Dharam Pal, sources said, had even painted walls of police premises in Fetehabad where his daughter, a post-graduate in economics, served as police chief until Saturday.

Sangeeta’s story is that of grit and excellence as she continues to draw accolade from people across various walks of life, including the IPS (Central) association which says it “salutes her courage”.

Her father, Dharam Pal, who retired in 2010 — the same year his daughter became an IPS officer and joined the district as a deputy superintendent of police where her father served as a painter, says he believes in his daughter’s conviction.

Sangeeta’s humble background made her ever more determined to achieve what she always wanted to be — an IPS officer.

The inspiration, she had said, came from her father and a serial (Udaan) where a girl in lead role fulfills her dream, despite enormous roadblocks, to don the Khakhi.

Sangeeta cracked the UPSC examination in the third attempt to join the IPS, after being unsuccessful in the first one.

Her second attempt in the UPSC examination got her a place in the Railways, which she preferred not to join. 

What is worrisome in the entire episode is that the woman IPS officer was not shunted out because of incompetence, dereliction of duty or any other justifiable reason.

Her unceremonious exit was an outcome of a bloated ego, a point of prestige which the Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij, perhaps, exerted to the hilt.

The Haryana IPS association which held its meeting on Sunday over the controversy also backed the officer. Sangeeta’s husband Vivek Kalia is an IAS officer posted as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Narnaul in Haryana. 

Anil Vij during a meeting on Friday publicly asked the officer to get out midway through a meeting. She refused, which infuriated the minister who walked out. The next day, she was booted out. The government’s decision invited widespread criticism not only on the social media but also from Opposition parties.

The bone of contention was over illegal sale of liquor in the district which the minister accused the local police of laxity and patronising such illegal trade.

The SC/ST commission has issued notice to the state government seeking a reply within a week over the controversy for which the commission feels a case can be registered against the minister.