This morning a very senior and prominent journalist asked me for a general quote on "politicisation of the police force at the very top level" and I did not know what to say. Not because I didn't have an answer but because, i wondered which level of the police force, and for that matter, which level of any of the government service, yes any level of "any" government service in India, is not politicised? The only exception to this general rule being the services which do not strictly come in "public domain", services which do not come in direct touch with public in general, for instance, services like armed and paramilitary forces of the nation and services like Indian Foreign Service. Any service which deals with public, becomes politicised, generally speaking. There may be just a sprinkle of government servants belonging to such services who remain steadfastly attached to their self righteousness.
Though here we are generally taking about "politicisation of the higher echelon of police service", but even in this category, I have seen a handful of top cops who have remained "un-politicised", because of their stature, uprightness and professional competency.
In India law and order and for that matter, police force, comes under the domain of the "State List", as specified in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. This is the "stepping stone" leading to politicisation of the police force. Direct touch between policemen and politicians leaves the former at the mercy of the latter. Police being the strong arm of the state government, performs law and order duties. Strictly speaking, Law and order means restraining those who take law into their hands and try to violate it. It turns police in to a muscled force and who needs this muscled force the most? Politicians, purpose being "total self fulfilment", supression of rivals and ensuring vote bank. And here commences the story of "subjugation of police force to the politicians". Once upon a time there used to be evil kings and zamindars. Now few are reincarnated as some politicians. Story has not changed, only characters have. Most cops, rank not withstanding, seek favour from politicians in terms of "protection, postings and patronage", the three evil "Ps".
Reverting back to the question which the journalist asked me, police force has a pyramid like structure, a broad base and pointed top, on which only one person can sit, the very top cop. Number of senior posts keep shrinking with every elevation within this pyramid, each post which can be filled only by government of the day, and government in this context means politicians sitting at various ministerial posts, the top being a Chief Minister, who rules the roost. And these politicians don't want to let their strong arm, the police, slip out of their hands. This is the reason why police reforms suggested by various commissions have not been implemented. Even court orders, the most important being Supreme Court order in famous "Prakash Singh and others vs Union of India" which, amongst other issues, favours security of tenure of officials at "cutting edge", are not observed. Envisaged principles of "senior and junior selection boards" are cleverly bye-passed. Cutting edge officials like State DGP, Superintendents of Police incharge of districts and SHOs responsible for managing police stations are changed with impunity, keeping the "paper work" intact. Practically it leads to, total subjugation of police officers to politicians; police officers of various ranks playing musical chair and politicians skilfully playing the music. Everyone wants a cushioned chair and politicians choose who sits and who misses.
This is the general rule which politicises police force at all ranks and positions within the pyramid, ultimate result being reflected in the question that, one of my batch mates in the National Police Academy had aptly put to a visiting Director General of Police, "Sir how come most police officers loose two vertebrae with each position and by the time such officers reach or come nearer to top, they become snails crawling at the feet of politicians." There was no answer.
But now I know it. It is the game of "Musical Chairs"...
No comments:
Post a Comment