Panchkula everywhere

‘Panchkula everyway’ by Julio Ribeiro-(IE dated 19^th 2017)is an honest account of the way the police and uphold-not upholding the rule of the law.If JR could stand up against the netas why not the others.Instead of putting the odium on the political class I would say that the police lacks sufficient training and discipline.What sort of training does the thousands of police man have-it is they who are in the front and encounter the public.To my knowledge the recruitment is bogged with corruption.Everyone wants to become a police man because there is more money –there is a good means to receive bribes and get away with it.Apart from this one would question the caliber of the officers-what sort of training is imparted to them in the police academies across the country. When the political boss want to to rid of an officer he is usual sent as the Director of the Police academy.After all JR stood his ground and was not transferred-Roopa the former DIG of prisons in Bengaluru was not that fortunate.And hence she was transferred and Sasikala in enjoying her VVIP status in the prisons.Most of the top political prisoners when jailed enjoy their stay in the prisons as rest houses-The political netas have resorts to enjoy and their cool their heels similarly the convicted big shots enjoy their prison stay as holidays. One can name any number of film personalities,and political bosses.Why is this so.What has gone wrong with character and uprighteousness?After all the netas can only transfer but cannot withhold the salaries.If JR can stand up so too can others.

I have had person experience with the corruption of the police. I met with an accident-a police jeep coming from the wrong side jammed into the auto in which I was travelling. The officer who was inside the auto disappeared ,while I went to the nearest clinic for medical attention. Fortunately I had noted down the number of the jeep. When I returned I found the auto clean washed and the jeep nowwhere .I went to the nearest police station and gave a complaint.The FIR later I found was not the same as what I had dictated. It did not mention of the police jeep and the officer-but blamed the auto for being stationary and the passenger within (that is me) sitting with one leg dangling outside the auto.I took up the case.I had lost a toe and the other four whole toes of the left leg was cut and dangling by the skin.This was attended to in a government hospital first-the doctor gave me an accurate description of the injury and advised that I go to a private hospital for better medical attention. In the meantime I found from the ADGP who was a friend of ours that the FIR is not the same one which I had given I went to the Police Commissioner who called for the Traffic police Commissioner and asked him to reopen the case.To cut short my accident story I found that at all levels that the police had scant character and did not stand for the truth. That police officer escaped .So what JR says in his article is true- but not always can one blame the netas.The police personnel also lacks the character to make them real persons who will stand for justice and truth. They are easily malleable –corrupt and demand bribes.

I know a number of cases when the police took bribes and let off the offender/culprit and the innocent suffered-even in a case where there was an accident of death. There was no netas interference in these cases. So one cannot say that the only the netas influence will create ‘Panchkula everywhere’,-yes they do, but if the policemen and women have character they would stand up for the right and follow the rules-like Julio Ribeiro, so can prevent Panchkula happening everywhere-at least can restrict it.

True enough almost all the police men/women  are susceptible to lucre and fear transfers –as long as that is there and have such cowards as policemen/women then the netas will have their way so too with the rich. Hence one would conclude that to money and political power the policemen/women are victims of. Another aspect is that they hardly know the laws. Be it criminal and social laws they are ignorant of-almost all those who are in touch with the common people. At least the netas who are anti -people will have to seek the votes of the people once in five years but what about the police force? Is there no way to upgrade them-look at the mass recruitments that take place-here again political bosses play a role? The written tests are a big farce-even the body measurements stipulated are being tampered with .The fact is that corruption at all levels have eaten into the fabric of this country. Character and up righteousness are devalued. One Julio Rebeiro does not make the police force but is an example that if he could stand up for the right and the rule of the law –so can others-His head did not roll and he was not transferred. Even if the police are transferred they are assured of their salaries.

The fact is that we are short of people who are morally strong. When I was in service my colleagues used to warn me not to stand up and speak as I used to when the Principal is there. But I did-my head did not roll. May be fearlessness and moral courage and truth are not appreciated but they are immortal values -values by which we are bound to stand up irrespective of when and in what capacity during our life time and only then can we stand before the Creator with a clean conscience on our reckoning Day.

Dr Mrs Hilda Raja,Vadodara