Hooliganism or Policing?
(Herald, 21st Nov. 2009) The news reports about some senior police officers partying on an off-shore casino should not surprise many in Goa. Though it is sad that a couple of very respected police officers got entangled in this controversy, by and large the behaviour in the police department has not at all been exemplary. A law abiding citizen who visits the police station may land up being verbally abused while the popular thugs and anti-social elements may get a dignified reception. The reply of the DIG to this casino incident and the belly-dancers speaks a lot about a sick mindset prevalent at the topmost level. The better comparison of visiting a casino could have been to that of a visit to the toilet, the booze bar or a brothel, but definitely cannot be equated to visiting a place of worship and prayer. If the argument that casinos are legal holds good and so there is nothing wrong in police officers patronising it, then would be appropriate for senior police officers to indulge in booze parties after office hours because consumption of alcohol is legal? Are senior police officers not meant to be mentally, spiritually and physically fit for duty 24 hours of the day and therefore avoid places where they can become vulnerable to compromising behaviours? What example do these officers set for their subordinates? These defensive arguments that police are humans and therefore ......may find favour in some other States, not in Goa where a sizeable population has been abroad or at least have relatives who narrate experiences about the fitness levels and sober social behaviour of policemen in other countries. Policing, which is a sacred duty, has unfortunately been reduced to a mere occupation and hooliganism in Goa due to increased politicisation. We hope that the senior police officers will find more positive and constructive avenues of entertainment and stress busters, other than boozing, gambling and gaping at foreign belly- dancers. -Soter D'Souza
