Yesterday, while travelling from Mysore to Bangalore, I was surprised to see “OPPO Police Station” in Ramanagara on the highway. For a moment, I was confused if China has taken over India and Oppo has been given charge of internal security!
May be Karnataka Home Minister and DGP can explain.
Some time back, in Bangalore, we have seen Police Station Name boards in the name of Airtel. But to see the name boards in the name of a Chinese Company indicates that our administrators have not considering the impact of such blind acceptance of commercial sponsorship of even sensitive matters such as internal security in India.
If this trend continues, we need not be surprised if Police uniforms carry Oppo or Vivo brands just like our Cricketers. May be even our Ministers may paint Huawei on their cars.
This trend must stop and stop immediately.
Acceptance of sponsorship of foreign commercial organization’s money for routine maintenance of administrative machinery of the Government is another form of “Corruption”. If Police are obliged to companies for even putting up of their name boards, then how will they take up a complaint against these companies lodged by any citizen of India?
It is necessary that all Government agencies should follow a principle where by corporate sponsorships doesn’t compromise on the constitutional obligations of the Government agencies.
On the other hand if these companies want to sponsor some event such as educating the masses on Cyber crime issues etc, it should be fine. But in such cases also the public should be promptly notified that
“This event is commercially sponsored by ……. Government undertakes not to compromise its principles in favour of the sponsors by virtue of this sponsorpship”.
In the meantime, I urge my friends in the media to file an RTI and find out what is the consideration paid by OPPO to host a board “OPPO POLICE STATION” in the Bangalore Mysore highway as rent per day and what is the normal market value of a hoarding in the same area and arrive at the opportunity loss suffered by the Government.
If OPPO has simply spent a few thousand rupees to get the Board organized, I would like to replace the board with “Naavi Police Station” and donate a board twice the size of the current board.
At least “Naavi” brand is associated with fighting Cyber Crimes unlike OPPO which as a Chinese Company is suspected that it may have a back door in its software.
Will the Government of Karnataka clarify? Will the Media question the prudence of who ever took this bizarre decision?
Naavi
Good posting my friend and class-mate.