POLICE REFORMS WATCH
26/08/13
URGENT PRESS NOTE:
PROTEST DHARNA ON MONDAY, AUGUST 26 AT 5.30 P.M. AT HUTATMA CHOWK, FLORA
FOUNTAIN.
RAPES AND CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN MUST STOP. WE DEMAND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICE
REFORMS BY MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT, NOW
Once again in light of the sickening gang rape of the photo journalist, Police
Reforms Watch, CHRI, Watchdog Foundation, [SOUL], Mahiti AdhikarManch demand a
full overhauling of policing in Mumbai NOW! We condemn all such heinous
crimes against women and humanity.
In response to this unfortunate crime, the Hon'ble Home Minister spoke that he
would ensure to provide security to the journalists. We want to remind the
Home Minister that against the sanctioned strength of 41,401 police force of
the Department, there are only 33,998 police men. A clear shortfall of 7403
personnel. To add to this is in 2012, 28420 police personnel were deputed for
VIP security. . In addition more than 2000 police personnel are deployed for
providing security to VIP /VVIPS.
As citizen's we are shocked at the complete callousness of the administration
in looking after our safety. At any given time only 20% of the police force is
available to ordinary citizens. This means that the effective cover for one
person is .021policemen per person( or 21 policemen per lac population). The UN
recommended minimum is 220 per lac population. The VIPs on the other hand has
1 policeman or more for every one VIPS.
Over 80% is deputed to providing unnecessary security to VIPs. As it is the
total number of 33,998 is already 20% less than the sanctioned strength. This
has been going on for years. Police stations are also under resourced and it
has taken 3 years for the government to sanction Rs 15 crores into the
investigation budget after bitter complaints from police personnel that they
have to spend from their own pockets when travelling in connection with cases
under investigation.
Providing policemen for unnecessary security to a few very privileged people
is costing us our lives. This has to stop. Knee Jerk reactions such as hence
forth providing police cover to journalists on assignment is a completely ill
thought out and inadequate cure for the much larger problem of deteriorating
safety of women in particular. We ask, will the Home Minister provide a
policeman for every child that goes to school, or every housewife that goes
marketing, or every lawyer, doctor, mill and construction worker ?
The city of 1.3 crores deserves to have well trained law abiding boots on the
ground available on call for everyone going about their daily business not to
create spurious special cases. Rather than making urgent changes in policing so
that it can be an effective service for the public the primary concern of every
government in power has been to make sure that the police keep doing their
bidding.
For 7 years Maharashtra government has resisted the Supreme Court's police
reforms package as well as the recommendations made by former police
commissioner Mr Julio Rebeiro and others. We as people of Mumbai demand that
police reforms NOW! When you fool around with Police Reforms, you are fooling
around with Women's lives.We want better policing. No Police Reforms No Safety
for Women. No safety for you and me.
There was a news items in one of the publication recently that the
Maharashtra govt. has filed a reply in the Supreme Court against this Judgement
on Police Reforms which states:
"All the directions contained in Prakash Singh's case relate to the executive
powers and functions of the state government and they can only be exercised by
the governor on the aid and advice of council of ministers. This is basic
constitutional scheme and, therefore, recommendation of any authority can never
be binding on the state government,"
"And did this wisdom dawn on the Maharashtra Government after 7 years, what a
shame".
Supreme Court Judgement on Prakash Singh has come in the year 2006. The
Maharashtra Government had not done anything on this till the recent ultimatum
given by Supreme Court. But what is important is that National Police [NPC]
commission's report was submitted in 1980. There are many other reports on
Police Reforms after that. The Government . has done very little on this till
the SC prodding. So after 33 years of NPC report, if the govt. has to do
something on this then it should be ashamed for taking such a stand. And mind
you this not the end of Police reforms since many more things can be done based
on these reports.
The lack of Political will is not only obvious, but also suspicious.
Supreme Court has to uphold the constitution whose preamble states that
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a
SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its
citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY, of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity
of the Nation;
When the state Govts. fail to provide or take steps then to uphold the
Constitution or to bring justice, Supreme Court has to take the necessary
measures. There are many instances where the Supreme Court, to uphold the law,
has taken over executive functions. Supreme Court monitored investigations
(SIT) is one such case.
Therefore the Maharashtra Govt. by taking such a stand has only made a mockery
of itself (even when for sake of assumption that they may have a legally valid
stand). It should rather focus on how to improve the Police functioning. We
need a police force which is more accountable and transparent and the
Politicians must allow them to enforce the rule of law.
It therefore becomes more imperative and we demand that POLICE REFORMS need to
be implemented by Maharashtra State without any further delay.
POLICE NOT ACCOUNTABLE ; SO RAPES UN- COUNTABLE
MAKE WOMEN SAFE ; REFORM POLICE NOW
Warm regards,
Dolphy Elma D'souza
Convenor
POLICE REFORMS WATCH,
43, Kalina, Santacruz East, Mumbai 400 029.
Cell: 09820226227
Email: [email protected]
