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L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R

Enquiry before filing FIR untenable

Hemant Kumar’s article, “Making FIR mandatory” (Sunday Oped, Jan 31) was thought provoking. However, his view supporting a preliminary enquiry before registering a case is not legally tenable, since it runs counter to Section 154 Cr PC. In fact, there is no provision in the Cr PC to empower a policy officer to embark on a preliminary enquiry in a complaint of cognisable offence prior to the registration of a case.

We know how the investigating agencies burke the crime under the garb of conducting a preliminary enquiry. This procedure is unknown to law and manifestly leads to corruption. Genuine criminal maters requiring immediate police investigation are dumped on flimsy conclusions in such so-called preliminary enquiries.

To eliminate the chances of frivolous complaints of cognisable offences, the police can resort to prosecute such persons for lodging false FIR under the relevant provisions of law, but it cannot refuse to register a criminal offence. I suggest that police officers, who embark upon preliminary enquiry in such matters, be prosecuted for burking crime under the relevant provision of law.

SOM DUTT VASUDEVA, Former Addl Advocate General, (HP), New Shimla

It is difficult for a citizen to get an FIR registered in normal course. Nobody will help you at the police station unless there is pressure, political or otherwise.

It is not the dictums of the High Courts or the Supreme Court which rule the police stations but corruption and political pressure. Once when a High Court judge went to a police station to lodge an FIR, nobody heard him until he disclosed his identity. Unless we rise above petty considerations, little can be done on the issue.

K.K. PURI, Advocate, District Courts, Gurdaspur

III

The issue is of vital significance. Undoubtedly, the Union Home Ministry’s circular to all the states and UTs is timely. But at the grassroot level, its implementation can jeopardise the poor, downtrodden and vulnerable sections.

The weak voice of the poor people does not reach the officers’ ears. But the circular in question will strengthen the position of the police personnel who will misuse it against the poor people. Therefore, some safeguards to check its misuse are imperative.

BALJEET SINGH MEHBOOB, Anandpur Sahib

Helping the blind

“How Braille helped the visually impaired” is a very inspiring article by Harish K. Monga (Perspective, Jan 24). Indeed, he made common people aware of the history of Braille.

At present, even after achieving a lot of progress in every walk of life, it is difficult for one to know what measures the government has taken to help the visually impaired. No innovative structure has been put in place to improve the quality of life of the visually impaired.

The common man can contribute only by donating his eyes for the blind after his demise. The government must take some crucial steps to increase awareness on eye donation for the blind.

ANJU D. ANAND, Chambaghat

Need to help farmers in distress
Mohinder Kumar’s article, “Protecting the peasantry “(Perspective, Jan 31) was timely. For thousands of years, farmers cultivated land, served the kings and feudal lords and remained mute witnesses to whatever happened in the corridors of power.
In India, they started asserting themselves from 1957 onwards becoming aware of the muscle power and numerical strength. The peasants are now facing a gloomy period marked by the ever-increasing avarice of corporate houses who are acquiring land with the help of the present-day rulers in states and at the Centre in the name of developing Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Their landholdings have shrunk and become unviable on a massive scale.
The drought-hit year 2009 saw mass exodus from rural areas in Bundelkhand area and harrowing sufferings of small peasants at the mercy of money-lenders. Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have millions of such marginal farmers who have only small patches of land without any additional income from any other source. Every day, they are seen migrating to distant lands to survive economically from remote and backward villages.
The corporate-controlled economy is throwing them callously at the mercy of senseless, cruel and cold market forces and turning them into resource less wage workers. The Centre and the State have been acquiring land rapaciously for industrial houses who seem to be motivated only by a big potential for profit in such transactions.
The peasantry, as a whole, is unfavourably pitted against the powerful capitalist system which is destroying them as a class. Clearly, they deserve all help.
RAJ BAHADUR YADAV, Fatehabad

Alkazi: A visionary

Alkazi’s profile by Harihar Swarup (Sunday Oped, Jan 31) is a befitting account of his tremendous contribution to modern Indian theatre.

If theatre in India is what it is today, it is because of Alkazi’s valiant efforts to present varied good playscripts, foreign and native alike, during his tenure as Director, National School of Drama. As a wonderful visionary, a firm disciplinarian and decent human being, Alkazi Sahib tutored many a talented person to further enrich the stage, film and TV scenario.

Even those who have been critical of his penchant for Western theatre extol his virtues as a teacher of dramatic art. The following famous Urdu couplet aptly refers to a genius like Alkazi: Hazaaron saal nargis apni benoori pey roti hai/Badi mushkil se hota hai chaman mein deedavar paida

Dr KAMLESH UPPAL, Former Professor of Dramatics, Punjabi University, Patiala