19 December 2012, 03:32 PM IST
Many years ago, a senior civil servant had told me, Ministries are for Ministers. Fair enough, as long as they do whatever they have to do from within the high walls of their Bhavans and Nilayams, this really did not impact most of us, busy as we were in those days with trying to get telephone connections, gas cylinders, milk bottles, train tickets, cash from bank tellers, HMT wrist-watch, out-of-turn scooters and rationed books as well as "control" tyres for our cycles from government stores.
Frankly, at the end of a typical day then, we seldom had the time or energy to complain. About misgovernance. Or most anything else. Nor did we know, unless Umrika vaale cousins were visiting, that it was any different in the rest of the world.
But at least we had a police force in most parts of India which was humane. To the best of my memory. And they were quite decent most of the time in Delhi. And most other parts of the country. As a friend who is a rickshaw-puller, has been one in Delhi for the past 50 years and more, explained - "we could go to the police station without fear in those days".
It is certainly not the same anymore. Leave alone women being wary about heading for police stations after sunset, perception is that even men need to try and put off any visits to the next day, and go there preferably with escorts.
And even more preferably with a VIP or VVIP reference. Which is not meant to be an observation on only the police - for most things, passport renewals, provident fund claims, high security number plates, and similar - a VIP or VVIP reference helps.
But the police, especially our much stressed Delhi Police because of their various other duties protecting VIPs/VVIPs, doing bandobast, standing in to take the blame for other government agencies, has really evolved into a force meant largely for those with VIP/VVIP connections. There has been a distinct pro-VVIP culture visible over the last few decades of observing the way our police forces in and around Delhi behave with us. This was all the more visible in the first few hours after the Delhi bus rape and brutalisation report started making the rounds over the internet, before it blew up in everybody's face in the print and television media, and went totally national and then international.
The way our lady Chief Minister gave her now famous dismissive response and tried to make it a "who controls the police" kind of debate. The smirks and shouts in Parliament when lady MPs were speaking. Even the police press conference itself could have been turned into a massive PR victory for our Delhi Police but instead went into a defensive posture.
There could be two big reasons for this:-
# The victims at that juncture did not have any strong VVIP representation or support.
# The Delhi Police was still trying to figure out who was really behind the bus owner.
+++
Now, the Home Minister has read out something about banning tinted glasses and curtains, on commercial vehicles. Another agency says that this should be banned on all vehicles. But is all this anywhere close to the real solution?
The real solution comes when those in power realise that all that they are achieving is further increasing the divide between the VIP/VVIP clans and the "common" people. And that these VIPs/VVIPs have, for no fault of the Delhi Police, taken the Delhi Police with them.
It is time the Delhi Police was given back to the people of Delhi. Let those VIPs/VVIPs who need security be given private security, and where applicable, they can pay for it from their own funds, or charge it to the Government. Those who really require security for various reasons of State are already covered by the NSG, the SPG and other para-military forces.
Please give us back our Delhi Police. Many of us remember them as a good people-friendly force, and there is no reason why they can not be so again. But get them off this VIP/VVIP ailment. Rapidly.
Or keep facing the wrath of our frustrations. For the most, we are a growing middle-class, who look forward to law and order and being part of a law-abiding society. We are busy trying to earn money and then spend it. And live a peaceful law-abiding life.
But if our law enforcers are themselves taken away from us, then, what should we do?
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