Politicisation
of Police Force
In the last five months, the police actions have come under severe
criticism, right from the Sun TV cameraman's arrest to the mishandling
of the violence during the DMK led procession in Chennai to condemn
its Party President's arrest. As if the sordid events of the past
four months were not enough, the image of the State police has taken
a further beating with its conduct during the civic elections. Although
"politicisation" of the police force is alleged to have reached such
an extent in Tamil Nadu that goons and operators of the ruling party
can get away with anything, the author still believes that the things
have come to such a pass only due to few erring officials. By and
large the TN police force is highly efficient and capable. However,
the widely belief that things have come to such a pass that some police
officers are actively collaborating in the commissions and omissions
of the ruling clique does not augur well for the morale of the police
force. The police response to violence in the first phase of poll
in Chennai was the centre of 'criticism' and the police response was
"far from satisfactory". Was it an attempt to make sure that Stalin
is not voted back to power, otherwise as per the Amma's theory of
'people's mandate, Stalin would be absolved of the criminal case related
to fly-over construction launched against him by Amma?
The question these incidents has raised is `what is the police doing?'
Why have the police officers not taken action on a majority of these
complaints? Why, even after the State Election Commissioner's stiff
warning after the first phase of the poll, did the police and district
authorities not initiate action against those indulging in the malpractices?
In many of the instances, it is reported that the VIPs or AIADMK functionaries
behind the operations have been identified. Voters themselves have
come out loud and clear about the 'booth capturing' attempts. The
two police personnel at any booth watch helplessly. But in quite a
few places, it is alleged that police officers also abetted the process
and even forced the election officers to lodge complaints in a particular
manner.
Make the Police Force an Autonomous Body
A former Director-General of Police regretted the "degeneration has
set in" and it is important to curb it at this stage. This officer also
blames the senior officers as much as the politicians for the mess and
laments that the top heavy structure lends itself to 'politicisation'.
He remarks that normally there would be one DGP and three IGPs in the
force. Now there are half-a-dozen DGPs and two dozen IGPs. It is regretful
that to curry favour with the Government and get quick promotions, some
officers even seem to volunteer to carry out such tasks. We should make
the Police force an autonomous agency and a police officers forum is
constituted to monitor these developments and take a collective stance
to resist 'politicisation'. Above all, as this former DGP exhorts, the
top officers must lead by example and advise the Government, and not
merely execute unacceptable orders.
Let us Move Ahead
The violence that marred the civic elections and the allegations against
the police force equated Tamilnadu to Bihar. We have learnt many lessons
form Bihar style of administration. For an another reason (remote-control
CM), Tamilnadu is equated to Bihar. Too many striking comparisons to
Bihar should alarm the Tamilnadu people. All right-thinking citizens
would agree with me that when we are struggling to put things on rail
in Bihar, we should not be a mute spectator to Tamilnadu going the same
way. This was the objective of the author before he set out to capture
all details related to civic polls in this article. "Let us do something
to correct things and let us move ahead".
