'Super home minister' Kempaiah reason for police dept's ills, says Opposition

Kempaiah, advisor to Home Minister G Parameshwara, was at the receiving end again, with Opposition parties demanding his ouster on Tuesday.

In the Legislative Assembly, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said the government hired the retired IPS officer despite knowing that he was unable to function effectively.

 “The officer had cited his inability to discharge his duties effectively as the reason for opting for voluntary retirement,” the JD(S) leader said, reading out Kempaiah’s resignation letter.

Kumaraswamy said the police department is in a mess because of Kempaiah.

In the Legislative Council, BJP members demanded that the government must remove Kemapaiah, accusing him of running a parallel administration in the police force.

Participating in a discussion on deputy superintendent of police M K Ganapathi’s suicide, BJP members described Kempaiah as an extra-constitutional authority functioning as a "super home minister”.

B J Puttaswamy (BJP) charged Kempaiah with being controlled by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and that he ran his own administration in the police ignoring Parameshwara, to whom he is supposed to be an advisor.

Puttaswamy said Kempaiah had a bad reputation. He is accused of assaulting a Lokayukta police inspector for raiding his house, he said. Puttaswamy sought to know from Parameshwara whether Kempaiah’s constant interference in police administration did not prick his conscience.

“Kempaiah controls police officers above the rank of circle inspectors. He indulges in caste and revenge politics. He has already dented the government’s image and should be removed immediately,” Puttaswamy said.

V Somanna said police officers feared Kempaiah and were wary about speaking against him. “How can you tolerate him as an advisor?” Somanna asked Parameshwara.

Parameshwara counters
Intervening, Parameshwara said there was no “super home minister” and it was a creation of the Opposition.

Besides, the government did not want any police officer to commit suicide. “Policing is a very stressful job. If there are any grievances, then there are forums in the department to address them. Suicide is not the solution,” he said.