Additional SP BP Ashok

LUCKNOW: A senior police officer in Uttar Pradesh on Monday resigned from the service, saying that 'dilution of SC-ST Act following the Supreme Court 's order was as a trigger behind his move. Additional SP BP Ashok, who is a doctorate in Buddhism, has sent his resignation to the President of India and UP DGP.

"To the president, through the right medium, in India, the circumstances have emerged such that I have been hurt. I am taking a very tough decision following numerous painful developments which include weakening of SC-ST Act and lack of stringent laws against caste discrimination in the society," the letter said.

His resignation coincided with the nationwide stir launched by the dalit community against the Supreme Court order. His letter also takes a swipe at the lack of representation of women from SC, ST, OBC and minority categories in judiciary. "The question is: If not now, then when," the letter asks.

At present posted at training directorate of UP Police, Ashok evaded a direct answer when asked whether his letter to the President, a dalit from Uttar Pradesh, was deliberate as only IPS officers, either promoted or regular recruits, can write resignation directly to the President. The UP government was yet to respond to his resignation that is being seen by some as a prop by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to consolidate the strong Dalit votebank ahead of 2019 elections.

He refuted charges of political patronage either during previous governments or support from dalit rights groups supporting BSP.

Ashok, whose daughter is an IAS officer, insisted that his war against caste is old. On his Twitter and Facebook , he has written posts why caste-based surnames should be boycotted while taking a dig at fairness creams. "Colour and caste. Some people have started boycotting fair colour cosmetics but they have not yet started boycott of caste-based surnames," reads one of his tweet.

