Is the police redundant in today's India?
Let us take a minute to review the last couple of months and put it in perspective. Child murdered in school - CBI to take over. Disciples of some Godman go on the rampage - Army to come in. Child falls into a borewell - Army to the rescue. Flooding in the city - CRPF, Armed forces, NGOs to come in and save people. Fire in building - CBI to come in. Traffic violation - CCTV cameras to do the job. Chalans - online.
What is it that the police does or is capable of doing? What set me thinking was not just the numerous cases where the police was sidelined and the case was handed over to the CBI which seems to have become the defunct Police and deals with every robbery, murder or issue that might arise in the county. Every time a parent or some NGO or some political party wants the CBI they get it - shout, destroy property, go on dharna, deny other people their right to choice and the country bows down and they get the CBI. What happens tomorrow when they say the CBI is not good enough?
Coming back to my reason for starting this discussion - I have been noticing for some time now that traffic police does not check people who are breaking the law - so I spoke to a few of them and their stock reply is "CCTV is there". So does that mean the CCTV is our new cops? I had gone to the Police station as I had been deceived of a sum of money and went to file a case with all proof - I was told that the police doesn't deal with fraud cases - go to the court.
Here is a bunch of people who don't feel any shame when a case is taken away from them for sheer negligence, ineptitude, not being up to date with either technology or the world around them.
The issue :
- Cops are not conversant with the laws themselves.
- They are the laziest bunch and have no issues with someone else taking over.
- They have no fear of law - they are the upholders of the law.
- They are extremely corrupt - they only become active when they can make some money.
- They know that someone else will do their job for them
- They have been reduced to bodyguards and watchmen for politicians.
- They are extremely rude and crude with the general public.
- The public is actually more afraid of them than the local goons.
- They do not instill faith in the public to do the right thing and to do it honestly.
- There is no pride in their work, no passion and desire to serve. This is a business not service.
Suggestions
- Replace the police with the CBI.
- We don't need to be paying a bunch of people for a job done by others. We have too many public sector companies and govt departments that are just there because they exist not because they are of any value to the country. They are a liability to the country and a big drain on our resources.
- If the CBI is the new police - equip them to take over and do a better job.
- The army and other forces should not be called in for every random job.
- Who should decide which department looks after law and order - the media, the local people or the govt?
- We need clarity as a country on what laws govern this country.
I feel it is not redundancy. Corruption and some kind of inefficiencies are plaguing this department as stated earlier by our community friends. Further, too much priority for politicians like security, arrangements for visits, VIPs visits etc., making them rotten and diverting from their real duty. See their transfers also influenced by politicians means, what kind of freedom we can expect. Even the current drugs case in Hyderabad looks to be best example, that they can catch hold of real culprits, but influences make them silent. Even ACB cases are also facing the same problem. Crores of rupees of corrupt money unearthed and after a photo session no one knows what happened. surprisingly the so called corrupt official resume duty within a short time. If the police are allowed to do their jobs without political and other interruptions, hope they may deliver better than current.
Oct 04
People have lost faith in the police. They are busy in making money & not taking any responsibility in case of any emergency. They are good at postmortam.
Oct 03
Actually, India itself is redundant !! With citizens like you, country is sure to become a superpower !!! I salute your wisdom !!!
Oct 03
Since more than fifty years (from personal experience) the Law Enforcers have been at the cutting edge of Corruption. Hammered in by Law Makers and assisted by Law Upholders. This is why the Police are such a pampered element of the Indian Exortion Services. They are integral to the extortion mafia created by the Constitution and the Law Makers. nothing will change until: (1) Inequality under law and exceptions to the rule of (including “reservations” and special privileges for some religions, castes and tribes at the expense of others) are expurgated from the Constitution and laws of India. (2) Bribe Taking is defined as criminal extortion or treason and made a capital offense with special rules of evidence and special courts with summary powers (akin to a Military Court Martial). (3) All court proceedings are video graphed and archived for public viewing and can be used as evidence to prosecute Judges and Magistrates at all levels under special laws and special courts with summary powers akin to a military Court Martial, for insouciance, negligence, tardiness, dereliction of duty, disregard for law and propriety, behaviour unbecoming of a Judge such as lack of etiquette and manners, (4) every job on the "Public" i.e. Government Pay Roll has specific and unique Key Responsibility Areas, Key Performance Parameters and Objectives for which they are held accountable on pain of summary dismissal for non-performance or life imprisonment for treason for sabotage under special laws and special courts with summary powers akin to a military Court Martial and (5) India creates an Ombudsman Service of reemployed and retrained military officers (Colonel and Below, JCOs and NCOs) who retire before 50 to serve as presiding officers, investigating/prosecuting and enforcement officers at the afore mentioned "Special Courts", one for every tehsil with powers to arrest, incarcerate, try and punish any and all from the President of India to a peon in accordance with the Special Laws framed therefor.
Sep 30
Very well articulated. Its high time that we root our the inefficient paid systems out. Paying high taxes and not getting the basic sense of safety is deplorable. Corporate do cut the fat to keep the balance sheet stable, why should't the tax pay citizen has the right to cut the flab.
Sep 29