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JNU Row: BS Bassi No More In The Running For Plum Post In The Central Information Commission

BS Bassi No More In The Running For Plum Post In The Central Information Commission
NEW DELHI, INDIA - FEBRUARY 16: Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi (Bhim Sain Bassi) arrives for attending the high level meet at Parliament Street Police Station, as Delhi Police officers arrested SAR Geelani, (Syed Abdul Rahman Geelani), former Delhi University lecturer, in connection with the sedition charges for allegedly organising an event at the Press Club of India, on February 16, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Bassi said that the police are probing suspected financial links between terror outfits and students allegedly involved in the raising of anti-India slogans at JNU. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
NEW DELHI, INDIA - FEBRUARY 16: Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi (Bhim Sain Bassi) arrives for attending the high level meet at Parliament Street Police Station, as Delhi Police officers arrested SAR Geelani, (Syed Abdul Rahman Geelani), former Delhi University lecturer, in connection with the sedition charges for allegedly organising an event at the Press Club of India, on February 16, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Bassi said that the police are probing suspected financial links between terror outfits and students allegedly involved in the raising of anti-India slogans at JNU. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

The heat is on BS Bassi. The Delhi Police chief, who is set to retire this month, is no more in the running to be a commissioner at the Central Information Commission, reports NDTV.

Though the committee that appoints commissioners includes leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, it is headed by the Prime Minister.

Bassi's name being dropped by the list of CIC hopefuls, therefore, comes as a shocker.

According to TV channels, Bassi has reacted to the development with indifference. He has said, "Doesn't bother me at all."

During the recent standoff in JNU, which led to the arrest of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, Bassi has been strongly backing the Modi government's stand on the issue. Despite facing stinging criticism for inaction and allegations that he is a BJP 'stooge', Bassi refused to budge on his position.

While speaking to CNN IBN on the issue recently, he said, "We are acting as per the best, prudent policing practices." He refuted claims that he was acting at the behest of the Narendra Modi government.

However, he still backed the government's claims that the crackdown on students was justified as they had indulged in anti-national activities. In fact, he said, "Non-registration of a sedition case would have been disastrous. It would have been a disastrous action on my part."

Asked if he would think twice before slapping sedition following the uproar over this case, Bassi's unfazed reply was, "If he transgresses the domain of Section 124 A then he will face 124 A. If he stays with the confine of the Section, then there is nothing."

The Congress had vowed to oppose Bassi's appointment in the CIC.

Bassi, who is active on Twitter, had been busy batting away allegations that Delhi Police had colluded with the BJP government to shut down the JNU protests. He also defended police inaction inside the Patiala court House by saying that a police crackdown on the scuffle would have led to more injuries and the site was unsuitable for action.

To counter charges that he had wrongly filed a sedition case against Kanhaiya Kumar, Bassi even tweeted out the provisions of the Section 124 of the IPC.

Sec124a IPC-Sedition: Bringing into hatred/contempt or exciting disaffection towards State by words or by signs or visible representation.

— BS Bassi (@BhimBassi) February 14, 2016

Sedition:

K Singh v Bihar(SC1962):

acts involving intention/tendency to create disorder/disturbance of law & order incitement to violence.

— BS Bassi (@BhimBassi) February 14, 2016

To show that the Delhi Police has been no-partisan, Bassi also tweeted out a letter by Kanhaiya Kumar.

An appeal issued by Kanhaiya pic.twitter.com/mzbSMQgkN4

— BS Bassi (@BhimBassi) February 17, 2016

However, his clarifications doesn't seem to have saved the day for him.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.