Implementing a promise made in its election manifesto, Madhya Pradesh’s Congress government granted compulsory weekly offs to all policemen on Thursday, January 3. It was a first weekly off for hundreds of policemen who up until now, used to work seven days a week, all year round.
The police personnel were earlier entitled to sick, casual and earned leaves, but no weekly offs. But things changed after Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police Rishi Kumar Shukla on Tuesday announced that a weekly off is applicable for all personnel posted at police stations as well as in special armed force units deployed in the districts.
Most cops who caught the first break went on picnics and outings with children — some were so elated that they even had their kids skip school.
After implementing the order, Chief Minister Kamal Nath tweeted, “We have completed the promise we made to the police personnel of giving them a weekly off. I congratulate the police force and hope they can spend due time with their families.
Police personnel were also happy with the move, lamenting how they had never before received a weekly off day during their service. A total of 425 cops from different police stations of Madhya Pradesh were given the compulsory holiday on Thursday.
