HYDERABAD: Aravinda Rao has no qualms in admitting that he did succumb to political pressures at times during his career. That’s just human nature, he says.While some of his colleagues are still discussing the possibility of he getting an extension, outgoing director- general of police K Aravinda Rao does confirm that ‘‘someone’’ was lobbying on his behalf but certain rules came in the way and it all came to nothing.A day before retirement, Aravinda Rao spoke exclusively to Express on a variety of issues concerning his department -- and some personal interests too.Q) What are your plans after retirement? A) I first want to apply for media accreditation so that I can travel across the country, go anywhere by flashing the card. I will read books and write a lot. I will be associated with Sanskrit academies.Q) So you plan to relax.A) No relaxing. I’ll continue to work hard. Maybe I’ll write for your newspaper but I first need an accreditation card.Q) Will you write your memoirs? No. I have a very poor memory and I’m not an anecdote man. I forget things.A) Some people remember everything about their career, not me.Q) How do you view your tenure as DGP? A) There was the Million March for which the police drew flak, and then there was curfew in the Old City.I had an excellent team of officers who were very cooperative. Political developments during my tenure were not violent except the Million March, which was unexpected. As for the curfew in Old City, it was a normal thing. Even otherwise, I take things in a calm manner.Q) There has been speculation that someone powerful has been lobbying to get an extension for you.A) It’s true but the All India Services Rules do not allow it. But even if extension was given, some people would have pursued the ongoing case (in the High Court) even more rigorously.Q) Would you have been happy if an extension was granted? A) That’s a tricky question. As I said, the court case would have been pursued rigorously and I cannot be at the mercy of the court judgment.It would have given me a ventilator feeling. I really do not know whether an extension would have made me happy or not.(Aravinda Rao breaks into a Sanskrit sloka ‘‘Asantosh dwijo nashtahu’’ and translates it: Any Brahmin who is not content will perish.) Q) Some of your colleagues from outside AP say you have this ‘insider-outsider’ bias which made you differentiate between them? A) May be unconsciously, but I really don’t know how far it is true. At least, I haven’t heard of it. (At this juncture, Anurag Sharma, additional DGP, Greyhounds walks in).OK, he is an outsider, ask him. (Sharma is quick to say there is no truth in it.) Q) But there is said to be a particular lobby that is against you.A) I have always been nice to them, been more lenient and more generous. There are several examples of it but right now I cannot give you examples. There is nothing like that to my knowledge.Q) How did you relate with Sundar Kumar Dass, the officer lodged a complaint against you when you were intelligence chief?A) I was never angry with him and never took objection to he taking the matter to court.Perhaps, he was under the impression that I was trying to harm him, which was not the case.Q) It’s said you made a lot of enemies in the department, especially while you were intelligence chief.A) In any bureaucracy, some people say good things and others say bad things about you. You may not know it, but without my knowledge, there must be some well-wishers too. This is case with the bureaucracy anywhere in the country.Q) Did you succumb to political pressures? A)Yes, I did sometimes. Such pressures are bound to be there. There is no hiding the fact.Q) Do you think the state government should follow the seniority principle in appointing DGPs? When you were appointed, several seniors were bypassed.A) It is the government’s prerogative and I cannot make any comment on that issue.Q) What are your views on Telangana? A) No comment except that we were totally professional in our approach.Q) A few months ago you saw Virasam leader Vara Vara Rao sharing a dais with the separatist leader from J&K Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Delhi. Is it a matter of concern for you? A) These people (Vara Vara Rao) meet all anti-India elements, be it J&K separatists, Nagas in Mizoram. They regularly meet them.Q) Sometime back, minister Shankar Rao dragged you into a controversy and you complained to the government.A) It’s all about human nature. I was accused of owning properties worth hundreds of crores (laughs). I am not involved in any sort of corruption.
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