Tags:
Journalism of Courage
A recent cartoon in The Indian Express draws the attention of the new union home minister to the report of the National Police Commission NPC lying in the dustbin. Over the last two decades and a half, several dedicated police officers have sought to mobilise public opinion, especially the intelligentsia, to put pressure on the state and central governments to implement the recommendations of the Dharmaveera Commission. Seminars used to be held, and articles used to be written in newspapers and magazines. In functions held at police establishments, the seniormost police officer would, in his welcome speech, sneak in an appeal to the visiting dignitary, often anbsp; minister or a political leader, for the need for police reforms and action on the lines recommended by the National Police Commission. Yet, paradoxically, the public and the media remained indifferent. Politicians have been very happy with such apathy. They have always wanted to exercise control over the police force, and the essence of the recommendations of the NPC has been to reduce the arbitrary exercise of power over the police by the ruling party.
The Public Interest Litigation PIL filed a few years ago by Prakash Singh, a retired IPS officer has given the Supreme Court a chance to put pressure on the Centre and state governments to bring about police reforms. The Centre8217;s response has been typical. A couple of committees 8212; the Ribeiro Committee and the Padmanabhiya Committee 8212; have been appointed, their reports received and duly pigeonholed. More reports in the form of Malimath Committee report and reports of the Law Commission have joined the pile. The press has been reporting gleefully on misbehaviour of police personnel, but has not found the time to ask why the governments have been resisting police reforms. That our police forces have fallen far short of expectations should come as no surprise because, over the decades, no political party in its election manifesto has ever offered to give the people an efficient police force which would be non-partisan and function professionally without fear or favour, nor has the intelligentsia or the media asked for such a force. The Supreme Court has persisted in its efforts despite the stalling of state governments. It has had a new Police Act drafted by Soli Sorabjee, and the Centre is expected to get it adopted by the state governments.
There has also been strong criticism of political leaders and elected representatives who have been seen to have let down the people with their myriad acts of omission and commission. Public anger expressed through the media has resulted in the removal of the home minister, state chief minister, and deputy chief minister. It is necessary to seize this moment. The thinking sections of the society should step up the call for police reforms, putting pressure on the state governments and thus strengthen the hands of the Supreme Court.
There is no time to be lost. Reducing the arbitrary exercise of power by the state8217;s home minister and the ruling party and introducing transparency are, but, the initial steps. A slew of measures to create efficient investigating machinery, better intelligence collection, all round training 8212; all calculated to create the kind of police force which meets the aspirations of the people of this country, have to be taken. The time to start is now.nbsp;
The writer is former director general of police, Maharashtra
