Where is the stick?
A comment on Ravi’s post grew rather long, so here I am venting via a note of my own. Ravi’s suggestions sound good and tight, but most of those aren’t practical, especially #c #d and #e. Even if you pre-identify sole responsible “owner” for a rally, in case something untoward happens, the onus is still on the law-n-order agencies to prove that the organizer triggered that incident. So, the buck will pass right back to the state and police. Back to square one, isn’t it?
Ask me why these incidents are so common these days. Single biggest reason – the “crowds” think they can get away. And they do get away.
Flash back to the riots after Rajkumar passed away. Remember those tall promises about each and every miscreant getting punished? Anyone remembers a follow-up to that?
More recently, a Volvo bus was torched to ashes after a road accident. I remember a minister made a similar sounding claim – the guy who threw the match into the petrol tank will be caught and punished. Any action so far? No!
The thing is, you never ever hear about anyone getting punished for these mob acts which are all crime first and protest later. Where is the stick? Where is the supposedly long arm of law?
Spare the rod and spoil the Indians, rule of the game is as simple as that. Make an example of one such unfortunate event. Use TV footage or whatever to pin down 10-20 people. Try them in court of law. Force news channels to carry the trial in prime time. Punish them. And in the process, prove your tall claims that an opposition party masterminded all that arson and vandalism.
And then we will see how these miscreants behave next time an opportunity presents itself.
PS: Wait till our Supreme Court forces state and central governments to implement police reforms (Anyone following that Sep 22, 2006 judgment?). We are in for a good surprise on law and order front this year. Keep your fingers crossed.
Yeah the police reforms needs to be implemented. But as expected, the state governments had appealed to the courts against their guidelines. But I believe the central govt is planning to bring in the reforms to central police forces and in all UTs. Now that definitely is a good start.
Coming to what you said, I agree, the reason why such riots happen is because the crowds believe that they can get away with, they have been getting away with it. The police has to act tough on the rioters and bring them to book. And more importantly, make it a media affair. That will definitely help.
I think they have reserved the stick only for the peaceful protesters.. its more easier to confront an army with candles than one with stones.. an easier way out to satisfy their manhood, isn’t it?
It is a need of hour now to relook at the way our ‘inland security’ works, they are completely controlled by our ‘political’ system rather than allowing them to work ‘independently’. this ‘stick’ will only work if it follows the ‘code of conduct’ and not get biased by the political sentiments’. our leaders despite holding highest posts for public service still attend religious functions, look at a recent exampls of mr.modi attending a hindu sammelan in kerala, how can this be allowed if you personally don’t get secular and claim to bring secularity even though you have taken an ooth to serve all and not only one religion.
Looking at an example of US, their ‘inland security’ is independent and reports directly into the president. for us the buck stops at the minister and so called ‘opposition leaders’ who muscle the ‘police and security’ the way they want at their will abusing every fundmental right of the citizen.
in recent incident the question we need answer for is “who gave the permission for regioanl procession on the secular streets of a country shared by all religions, the death of a 12 yr old should be treated as culpable homiside by that authority approvong such rallies depite supreme courts orders prohibiting the same. if no one has approved the rally then the organizers to be brought to justice for failure on their part to control the actions inculcated by them.
if we need to gather together, mark an area outside city where any such gathering’s should be organized rather than taking the city for granted, roads are to commute and not for such rallies and dharna’s…
If the stick is used, news channels will protest that too much force is being used. CNN IBN carried a report on Monday night complaing that the police had “arrested a number of protestors”, who obviously claimed to be innocent. Sensationalist news reports must also be banned for fear that they may fan the flames
Roshan, hey, so you are tracking the ongoing Police reforms. A very positive development.
Divs, The stick is not as much about fighting the vandals on the spot. That could be a lost battle if you are guarding a thousand excitable people. But once the mayhem is over, chase, arrest and try all the folks you saw doing stuff.
Rajesh, that interference is exactly what the upcoming Police reforms should address.
George, instead, we have govt banning AXN for showing some skin :) Actually, media policing is a complicated matter. Perhaps best to leave it free.