M A I L B A G

PM’s agenda for police reforms

ESHWAR ANAND, in his article “Policing the people: PM sets the agenda for reforms” (Sept 17), has identified the major defects affecting police functioning. Sadly, it is the lack of public concern which allows the state governments to make police postings on considerations of political expediency.

Amazingly, there is no public outcry against the low rate of prosecution. A citizen’s stand is like that of a pigeon who, by keeping his eyelids closed, thinks that the cat will not eat him. Systemic failure will hit the nation hard. We can ill-afford an inefficient and corrupt police force. Forums for articulation, consolidation and expression of an unbiased public opinion are the need of the hour.

The Buta Singhs are able to flourish only due to lack of public concern and pressure. Otherwise, how is it that upright DCs and SPs of Siwan and Gopalganj in Bihar were shunted out? If these problems are resolved, the Prime Minister’s agenda on police reforms can succeed.

S. C. CHABBA, Ropar

II

No society exists without crime. When the crime rate is unusually high and punishment is not commensurate with the offence, both crime and punishment become dysfunctional and the collective sentiments would lose their force to control human behaviour. This is what happened in Gurgaon and Gohana.

To maintain the collective sentiments at the necessary level, the police is indispensable. Hence, rectitude and uprightness in the police force are vital to enforce public morality. But when a police officer is forced to know tow to the whims of politicians, it is bound to demoralise the police force.

As the police is the byproduct of a society, it would be unfair to castigate it exclusively for the increasing crime rate. We don’t attack the crime’s root cause which lies in society itself. In a society where the socio-cultural structures generate pressure for deviant behaviour and the power in the form of money and political influence (read interference) determines who should be arrested or not, how can crime be reduced or public morality enforced? Unless these problems are addressed, institutional reforms will be meaningless.

P.L. SETHI, Patiala

III

I understand the plight of policemen in course of my association with the Himachal Police in community policing in Hamirpur district. The political bosses control most SPs in the state. Local politicians select the SHOs and not the SPs.

I appreciate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s advice to the SPS not to succumb to political pressure. But he should have also told our leaders not to interfere in the functioning of the police. Of course, I have my doubts. Will Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, for instance, heed the Prime Minister’s sane advice? The Dharma Vira Report should be implemented in toto for insulating the police machinery from political interference.

MULTAN SINGH PARIHAR, Jalari-Hamirpur

IIT reforms

The editorial “IIT exam reforms” (Sept 15) examines the psychology of the mushrooming coaching centres which stand to lose badly by the decision. Now that a First Class with 60 per cent in the Plus Two examination is a must for a student to take up the IIT entrance examination, it will, certainly, improve both teaching and learning in the high schools.

The Plus Two examination will hereafter be taken more seriously by the teachers and students than earlier. Similar parameters should be fixed for admission to all other technical and professional courses.

ARVIND PURI, Kapurthala

Bar girls’ woes

The Maharashtra government has committed a crime against humanity by depriving many poor bar girls of their means of livelihood without ensuring their proper rehabilitation. Corrupt politicians talking about moral values is like the devil quoting the scriptures.

The stony silence of the general public, especially the so-called self-styled champions of human rights, on this issue is most unfortunate. When politicians cannot provide employment to the people, how can they take away the jobs of the bar girls?

A.K. SHARMA, Chandigarh