M A I L B A G

Barbarism of police in full display

The Haryana Police’s barbaric conduct was in fully display at Gurgaon on July 25. The police officials do organise seminars with leading citizens to assure the general public that the policemen are like their friends, philosophers and guides. However, these are mere words. The cruel attitude of the Haryana Police towards the Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India workers should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

The National Human Rights Commission must take every possible step to bring the culprits to book. The state government should not be soft towards the policemen. Those involved in the torture of the workers should be identified and punished. The families of the injured should be given due compensation.

K.L. NAGPAL, Ambala Cantonment

II

The workers have been agitating outside the Honda company for quite some time. Had the state government and the company been serious, the problem could have been amicably solved. The latest agreement between the workers and the Honda company is welcome, belated though.

According to doctors’ reports, some workers got so seriously injured that they would be fit to work only after a couple of months. All the hospitals in Gurgaon were full with injured workers and some were shifted to Palwal and New Delhi hospitals. The incident reminds us of the police lathi-charge on Lala Lajpat Rai in Lahore and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

The police officials should understand that they can apply only standard force on the demonstrations, as prescribed in the Police Manual. The injured workers should be suitably compensated and the guilty brought to book.

Prof A.D. BHALLA, Ludhiana

III

Zee News channel report on the Gurgaon incident was biased and one-sided. In Phase I operation, the workers assaulted DSP Jag Parvesh Dahiya and other constables mercilessly. Mr Dahiya was begging for his life with folded hands, but the workers showed no mercy and continued to beat him with sticks.

In Phase II operation, the police did a tit for tat for the workers. But while Zee News spiked the assault on the DSP, it only showed the attack on the workers. Both the police action and the workers taking the law into their hands are highly condemnable but a channel like Zee News is expected to be objective and impartial in its coverage.

RAM NIWAS MALIK, Panchkula

IV

The editorial “Police brutality” (July 27) rightly maintains that our police still functions as the British taught them, following the old anachronistic laws. We shall have to explore ways and means to avoid such demonstrations because if there is violence, police shall have to act. training. People must learn to live peacefully because democracy never guarantees freedom to indulge in violence while staging demonstrations.

DALIP SINGH WASAN, Patiala

V

This refers to the report (July 26) and editorials (July 27 and 28). The savage action by the Haryana Police against the protesting workers of Honda company is most unfortunate. Strict action should be taken against the officials responsible for the brutal assault on the workers.

Meanwhile, I am happy that the Honda management has reinstated all the retrenched workers. The Haryana Government should now release all the arrested workers to restore normalcy.

YASH PAUL GHAI, Ludhiana

VI

It was very inhumane on the part of the policemen to lathi charge the workers who did not get salary for many months. Instead of listening to their problems, the police had beaten them up so badly that many received serious head injuries. The police excesses are unpardonable. I felt like crying while watching on the TV the police torture on innocent workers.

ABHAY VIKRAM, Mohali

VII

It was most unfortunate that right under the nose of the UPA Government at the Centre, trade union rights were flagrantly abused in Gurgaon when the police mercilessly tortured hundreds of unarmed and innocent workers. The Left parties did little to prevent police torture on the workers.

G.S. ARORA, Faridabad

VIII

The barbaric torture of workers at Gurgaon has sent a signal across the globe that ours is an uncivilised society and is still in the 18th century. How sad that in this age with modern equipment, our police force has not yet learnt the art of controlling mob fury!

It is time Haryana’s top police officers pondered over how to discipline their lower cadre staff to behave in a responsible manner when confronted with an odd situation. It is, however, equally condemnable on the part of those who injured police officials. But this should not have been the reason for breaking the bones of everyone taking part in the protest demonstration.

KEWAL SINGH GILL, Anandpur Sahib

Of film stars and dons Salman Khan tapes are another grim reminder of the seamy side of our reel world in which the real and the unreal are in sharp contradiction to each other. Salman has been a popular hero. So has been Sanjay Dutt. But who can deny their links with the underworld? Leave aside the real world of crime, in films too, violence and crime have increased so much that these films look ludicrous. The joy is second rate, so is the tragedy which could purge man of evil, had it been of a high order. I wish the film stars came closer to the facts of real life. The goodness they show on screen must be reflected in their personal conduct off screen too. MANMINDER SINGH, Chandigarh