Policing Gujarat

Gujarat has become the symbol of almost everything negative; gross failure of governance to bipartisan management of law and order, to commu...

Gujarat has become the symbol of almost everything negative; gross failure of governance to bipartisan management of law and order, to communal violence of the most reprehensible type. The army could not be withdrawn because the people8217;s faith in everything the state administration represents has been lost. Steeped in the fractured ways of our caste-ridden social system it seems unfortunate that there is greater interest and debate on KPS Gill8217;s 8216;rank8217; and status in the hierarchy than the tasks that confront the state and him as the new security adviser to the chief minister. The violence in the state continues with tragic persistence and the polarisation among communities appears almost complete. The situation has gone far beyond any but the most firm and strong measures rather than peace marches, which have acquired a somewhat farcical quality. Restoration of law and order is a pre-requisite to sound administration. Given the decline in the functioning of state machinery, this is a Herculean task. But peace in Gujarat is India8217;s biggest challenge since the basic core values have come under grave stress.

The morale and efficiency of the law enforcement agencies have to be restored. Needless to say, political inaptitude, patronage and graft have seriously undermined governance in the state. But civil administration would be judged by its ability to re-establish the confidence of the people in the impartial functioning of the institutions of the state. The former is vital if the latter is to succeed. Effective law enforcement would require far greater levels of professionalism than that witnessed during the past 10 weeks. Leadership in this process would be critical and the Indian Police Service must recognise that its ability to provide that leadership is on test today. Arresting the decline in administrative effectiveness over the years would take time. But the immediate necessity is to rebuild and strengthen an effective intelligence and law enforcement system, especially in the more sensitive areas. The traditional importance of grassroots-level intelligence remains crucial. The thanedar of today may be politicised and even communal-minded but he will, no doubt, respond adequately when faced with the prospect of strong punitive steps for dereliction of duty and support for impartial, effective actions.

There is hardly any national security challenge more critical than the restoration of peace and harmony in Gujarat. Rebuilding professionalism of the police force and its morale is an immediate and major challenge the government faces. It is here that Gill would have the greatest scope to make his contribution. And Narendra Modi must ensure that he and his government listen to that advice based on his extensive experience in rebuilding police morale and efficiency, which played a major role in turning Punjab around. Unfortunately, political interference, patronage and inbuilt inefficiencies over the years have undermined professionalism. At this stage a nucleus is important around which the effectiveness of police could be rebuilt. This, perhaps, was the idea in seeking a battalion of the India Reserve Force from Punjab. The central government must ensure that such a catalytic nucleus of appropriate size and quality is provided at the earliest, whether through contingents of the army or additional central police forces.