-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | | | | by visiting this link and following the instructions therein | | | | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the weeks since former supercop Julio Ribeiro avocated police reforms in Mumbai, policemen have raped two minor; falsely implicated a garmet workshop owner and thrown his blameless workers in the lock-up to get him to surrender; and dragged a dumb and a injured vagrant into a police van because he dared to sleep under a tree outside the DGP's office. In Hajipur , they have pushed a 14-year old tea vendor from running train because he refused to share his earning with them.
Can these acts be traced to political interference ,which according to Ribeiro, is the root of all that's wrong with the Police? Or is it the opposite? - lack of political interference- that lets the policemen behave in such a manner? None of these policemen enjoy the political patronage of the politicians. On the contrary, report shows that they enjoy the protection from their seniors in the police force. For majority of the Indians, the face of the police is the constable and the Sub-inspector. For them the police spell nothing but the trouble:Slaps, abuses, and bribes if they are lucky:nights in the lockup,toruture and rape if they are not. In such encounters , innocence or guilt never matters. All that matters is how resourceless you are. This lack of inteference allows the top IPS officers , who control the entire force of the city . or even a state, to achieve their professional goals by following methods no police acadamy has taught them. Thus Ribeiro as DGP,Punjab asked more and got more. This helped him to control the Khalistanis by "bullet for bullet" policy. In this process there is a posibility that some of the innocent got gunned down but there was law and order situation. In Mumbai too Ribeiro initiated the practice of eliminating small-time criminals in fake encounters. Looking at above the Policemen who commit offences enjoy the support of the superiors and it is here that the rogue policeman take the advantages of the situation. No one can touch them as long as they are in good books with their bosses. Mumbai saw the ban on bar girls. There was time when the the constable paid as much as two lacs to get the posting in the area of dance bars. This money was recovered within two months. There was heavy lobby within the police for such posting. Once the ban came such posting became irrelevent and those police constables who paid such money were frustrated and they started raiding bars and demanding money even though there was no dance. There were instance wherein raids were conducted on private farm houses. If police can go to this extent in the name of greed for the money, then definitely they know the moments of the terrorists too. The terrorists can offer better money than the dance bars and other small time businesses. In Goa to join the police force , a candidate has to pay a hefty amount. This amount has to be recovered from someone and that someone is the public. Extortions from public is the most simple solution and finding faults rather than guiding the law abiding citiezens is the best policy. In Gulf states a cops seldom take bribes. In Bahrain the Baluchis harass the house maids who are on free visa. They either extort money or rape them. Coutries like europe it is a different scenario. Police commisioner of Mumbai A. N. Roy is holding classe for stress management, Yoga, Art of Living and more importantly, on gender-sensitation. Over and above motivation sessions are conducted. Yet with all this it goes to the deaf ears of police. Can Public raise voice ? Are social organisation strong enough to challenge police excesses? Where are we in the current democratic process? The public is weak and if you have money may be you can bribe. The rest is police fisco. Laxman S. Bahrain -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 1st Young Goans International Essay contest 2005 | | | | Theme: WHAT CAN I DO FOR GOA | | More details at | | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/034190.html | --------------------------------------------------------------------------
