saravade (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} saravade) wrote,@ 2006-11-25 11:35:00 |
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New Hopes on Police Reforms in India
Police Reforms is an issue I feel strongly about, as the various postings on this blog will show. Of late, Police Reforms have gained a lot of traction thanks to two developments. The first was setting up of a committee, headed by the venerable Soli Sorabjee, on revising the obsolete Police Act, of 1861 vintage. The second was the Supreme Court Judgement on a PIL filed by Prakash Singh, former Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh.
Thankfully, many thinkers in the society have started realising the importance of police reforms and started adding their voice to the demand for the rule of law. A recent article by Sagarika Ghosh, talking of the need to continue to push reforms, is illustrative. The relevant part is quoted below.
The 21st century reformer could glance at the police. Today India's police is an orphan child crying in a desert of neglect. When a three year old is kidnapped in NOIDA, it becomes clear that police still don't have systems to communicate between states. There is no technology available to arrest a drunk driver, there is no technology available to investigate a murder, there is no technology or manpower available to enforce the law in pockets of the leisure industry where alcohol, drugs and mindless euphoria are creating deadly new murderers. Nor is there a police force neutral enough available in Khairlanji village where rods were shoved into the genitals of Priyanka Bhotmange as her mother was forced to watch. The 21st century reformer might realize that there is need to give voice to a new spiritual and intellectual direction. If India's reforms do not deliver justice, basic health and quality education to the poor, the process of reforms itself will become meaningless for most.
There have been similar voices from others. Swaminathan Anklesaria Aiyer has cautioned against any euphoria and stated that adequate resources are needed to be committed before any real results can be expected. A former IPS officer, P S Ramamohan Rao, has said that it is the colonial mindset of the ruling elite which needs to change.
These may indeed be important times for the Indian police and the future is to be awaited with hope and anticipation.
Police Reforms is an issue I feel strongly about, as the various postings on this blog will show. Of late, Police Reforms have gained a lot of traction thanks to two developments. The first was setting up of a committee, headed by the venerable Soli Sorabjee, on revising the obsolete Police Act, of 1861 vintage. The second was the Supreme Court Judgement on a PIL filed by Prakash Singh, former Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh.
Thankfully, many thinkers in the society have started realising the importance of police reforms and started adding their voice to the demand for the rule of law. A recent article by Sagarika Ghosh, talking of the need to continue to push reforms, is illustrative. The relevant part is quoted below.
The 21st century reformer could glance at the police. Today India's police is an orphan child crying in a desert of neglect. When a three year old is kidnapped in NOIDA, it becomes clear that police still don't have systems to communicate between states. There is no technology available to arrest a drunk driver, there is no technology available to investigate a murder, there is no technology or manpower available to enforce the law in pockets of the leisure industry where alcohol, drugs and mindless euphoria are creating deadly new murderers. Nor is there a police force neutral enough available in Khairlanji village where rods were shoved into the genitals of Priyanka Bhotmange as her mother was forced to watch. The 21st century reformer might realize that there is need to give voice to a new spiritual and intellectual direction. If India's reforms do not deliver justice, basic health and quality education to the poor, the process of reforms itself will become meaningless for most.
There have been similar voices from others. Swaminathan Anklesaria Aiyer has cautioned against any euphoria and stated that adequate resources are needed to be committed before any real results can be expected. A former IPS officer, P S Ramamohan Rao, has said that it is the colonial mindset of the ruling elite which needs to change.
These may indeed be important times for the Indian police and the future is to be awaited with hope and anticipation.
