The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Exercise in futility
Advani yatra fails to make a mark

SENIOR BJP leader L. K. Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra, which is slated to take him to 23 states in 38 days addressing public meetings across the country to spread awareness against corruption, has clearly been a damp squib so far. The octogenarian leader has indeed failed to inspire the masses or mobilise the party cadres to work with a new-found cohesion. In fact, the factionalism in the party, especially in some states, has been so stark that one tends to feel that the party was better off without the yatra. At the very outset, the perception that Mr Advani was only furthering his personal agenda of having one last go at prime ministership was strengthened when he side-stepped the question of whether he was in the running for the office that he has coveted for long. The choice of Sitabdiara in Bihar for starting his yatra was seen as a way to spite Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who too is a possible contender for the prime ministerial ‘gaddi.’ Evidently, it was a ploy to show that he was on the same page as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is on the wrong side of Modi.

Mr Advani’s speeches at various places have nothing new to offer. Here is a veteran who has been in public life for over half a century, holding the office even of Union Home Minister for several years who could have lent an important hand in checking corruption and generation of black money. To his credit, he has not been personally accused of corruption at any time but he has been no less responsible for the growing spiral of corruption than any other top leader. If then the masses see in his campaign an element of hypocricy and an attempt to garner votes for the party, it is not unnatural.

With the Manmohan Singh government enmeshed in scams, the BJP had a great opportunity to bounce back into reckoning. But it has largely belied hopes. Be it in Parliament or outside it, the party has been groping. Besides, there is rampant factionalism in some states

Message to Maoists
Mamata now breathes fire on them

IT took six months in office as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for Mamata Banerjee to conclude that Maoists are indeed ‘more dangerous than terrorists’. While the belated realisation may have been inevitable, it needs to be welcomed because it has nailed a Maoist ploy to ride piggyback on an elected government. Soon after the Trinamool Congress was swept to power earlier this year, Banerjee had practically suspended operations against the Maoists by joint forces in the Junglemahal area. She also announced a rehabilitation package for Maoists who wanted to surrender their arms and lead a ‘normal life’. She allowed a group of Maoist sympathisers to act as mediators and declared more than once that she would do everything to facilitate the return of the rebels to ‘normal life’. Maoists undoubtedly took full advantage of the situation to re-group and consolidate their position in the state. A ‘friendly’ state government was a boon for them.

But Maoists pushed their luck by killing several Trinamool Congress workers in the area. Banerjee, who never even acknowledged the existence of Maoists in the state till the Assembly elections were held and was all in favour of withdrawing forces from Maoist strongholds, was forced to take off her gloves. The Communist Party of India ( Maoist) flirted with her by offering a ceasefire, withdrawing it unilaterally and then offering to renew it for four months if the operations against them were stopped. Typically, she retaliated by calling Maoists names. Describing Maoists as “criminals, murderers, thieves, robbers, cowards and supari killers or mercenaries’, the Chief Minister declared her intention to crack down on them. The government, she noted, could not sit idle and abdicate its responsibility to secure the lives, liberty and property of the citizens.

Maoists may actually find her to be more troublesome and more ruthless than the Marxists before her. She has demonstrated a practical streak, by calling back police officers she had once described as CPM agents and shunted for example, that could unsettle the Maoists. She is also far less predictable and has hinted at her willingness to go after intellectuals who offer moral support, sanctuary or guidance to the rebels. The writing on the wall could not be clearer.

Thought for the Day

Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success. — Dr Joyce Brothers

ARTICLE

A peep into the Muslim mind
Winds of change sweeping the subcontinent
by T.V. Rajeswar

Muslims constitute around 15 per cent of India’s population of over 121 crores. The 2001 census put the figure at 138 million while the US believes that the Muslims in India number much more, closer to 180 million. Whatever may be the exact number of Muslims in India, the community as a whole deserves some positive steps by the Centre and the states to improve its lot — increased opportunities for education, employment, etc.

Two major enquiry commissions, one headed by Justice Ranganath Mishra (retd) and the other by Justice Rajindar Sachar (retd), have gone into the state of affairs of the community and made many recommendations. Most of the recommendations are almost on similar lines. The important recommendations speak of a provision for providing opportunities for securing admissions to colleges, appointments in various sectors of the government and private establishments, etc. Regrettably, action in this regard has been unduly delayed.

However, on October 31, the Minister for Minority Affairs and Law and Justice, Mr Salman Khurshid, announced in Lucknow that the government would introduce a quota within a quota for Muslims. The details were being worked out by his ministry and these would be implemented after clearance by the Cabinet. The community will, no doubt, appreciate the enormous significance of the announcement the minister made at Lucknow.

Significantly, the announcement was made at Unity College in Lucknow where only a day earlier RSS chief K. Sudarshan and Shia cleric Kalbe Sadiq met and made a joint appeal to the people not to vote by religion but vote for people who were honest and known for their good character. Kalbe Sadiq went on to say that in the elections, a Muslim voter should vote for a Hindu candidate if the latter was better than any Muslim candidate and, likewise, a Hindu should also vote for a Muslim candidate if he was honest.

The joint declaration by the RSS Chief and the Shia cleric has enormous significance for the Muslim community in the entire country. It also has equal importance for the Hindu community as well who should realise that the Muslim mind is undergoing a change in India.

We are indeed living in dynamic times. Only a few days before the joint declaration by the RSS chief and the Shia cleric in Lucknow, Maulana Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichhauchhavi, General Secretary of the All-India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), declared before a mahapanchayat of Sufis at Moradabad that they rejected the religious and political leadership of Wahabis. The Maulana told the Muslims that if anyone knocked at their door with the message of extremism, he should be handed over to the nearest police station. This elicited a response from Darul-Uloom, Deoband. The Mohtamin (Vice-Chancellor) of Darul Uloom hurriedly called a Press conference and countered the charge of Wahabi extremism.

Maulana Ashraf Kichhauchhavi, who also represents many other institutions such as the Sufi Khanquah of Ajmer Sharif, Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin and Bareily Sharif, accused the Deobandis of having usurped key institutions like the Waqf Boards and madarsas besides acquiring enormous political clout. He also alleged that the Deobandis were under the influence of Saudi petro-dollars.

The Darul Uloom Rector, Maulana Nomani, came out with a series of arguments in his defence. Faizur Rahman, Secretary-General of the Forum for the Promotion of Moderate Thought among Muslims, expressed his own independent views when he said that the activities of Darul Uloom did not justify the Sufi Maulana’s charges. He, however, pointed out that the Sufis had done a great service by setting the stage for a debate on extremism.

Chief Minister Mayawati of Uttar Pradesh had recently written to the Prime Minister asking for reservation for Muslims in educational institutions as well as in jobs at the Centre and in the states. Not to be left behind, Mulayam Singh Yadav, chief of the Samajwadi Party (SP), who has been assiduously wooing the Muslim community for votes for his party, demanded in a recent speech at Lucknow the implementation of the Sachar and Ranganath Mishra committee reports in toto and without delay. One of his party leaders also announced that the SP would launch an agitation in this regard and also raise the issue in the winter session of Parliament. The announcement by the Minority Affairs Minister had, therefore, come in time, he added.

Javed Anand, General Secretary of an organisation called the Muslims for Secular Democracy, writes that on the sunny side of the Muslim street today one can notice discussions on the need for Muslim empowerment and a meaningful initiative to pull the community out of its state of helplessness. At the same time, one can meet young Muslim professionals who are not only doing well for themselves but are also actively engaged in lighting the path for others.

Read the writing on the wall, continues Javed Anand, “Padho aur badho (Get educated, grab opportunities)”. In their moment of introspection, Muslims recall a verse from the Quran that says, “Allah never changes the destiny of a community that is unconcerned about its own lot.”

The winds of change in the Muslim thinking seem to have travelled to Pakistan as well. Imran Khan, who heads the Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, addressed a huge crowd at Lahore on October 30 and appealed for support to his ideas whenever elections were held in Pakistan. He said if his party became successful there would be a real tsunami in Pakistan politics.

Imran represents a liberal brand of political Islam and harks back to the political theory of poet Mohammad Iqbal. His party does not disown religion, yet it talks of liberalism and secularism. The real test, as well- known commentator Ayesha Siddiqa says, for the cricketer-turned-politician lies in how far he succeeds in ensuring that his socio-political agenda remains inclusive rather than exclusive.

A popular conclusion drawn by many in the Pakistan media is that Imran Khan has arrived. His Lahore meeting, which was a great success, should alarm the other political players of Pakistan.

The writer is a former Governor of UP and West Bengal.

MIDDLE

Travails of being a psycho!
by Neelam Rathee

SO, you are a psychologist! You can read one’s mind, isn’t it? I implore, please tell me what is passing through my mind now?” This is the first reaction when people get to know if one is a psychologist. Some others would tend to be a little paranoid when they will challenge, “Okay, I’m not going to speak a word now since you should be analysing me!” Still others won’t take it lying down and would seek more and share less.

The first category is of the ones who would want you to tell them about their personality and thought process. For them psychology is fun, or some interactive game, or a mysterious science like astrology, or tarot reading. They also believe that a psychologist is a mind-reader, who can surprise them with some fascinating information. The poor psychologist will then have to eat a humble pie.

The second category is of the tight-lipped ones, but they are a more anxious tribe. They feel suspicious about the psychologist knowing everything and investigating one’s behaviour all the time. Therefore, they try to avoid any conversation with them. They don’t realise that the non-verbal communication is more pertinent to be analysed — a fact known only to the psychologist.

Another type of people are the most nagging ones and should be best avoided. They want to tell you all about their problems and want you to provide solutions too. That’s true for every person whether it is someone you meet at a party, a fellow traveller, or someone a psychologist encounters elsewhere. When people know that you are a psychologist, they assume that you are the know-all. They will come up with varied problems, ranging from normal anxiety, phobia, obsessions to schizophrenia.

A senior colleague of mine, who is a counselling psychologist, travels far and wide frequently. She often encounters such inquisitive fellow travellers or seatmates. She tells me, “Once they know you are a counsellor, they begin seeking advice on a solution to child abuse, marital adjustments, infidelity or a breakup. They would not realise that what you need then is a short nap; or maybe you would like to refresh your presentation to be made at your destination.” She now does not reveal her identity. If people ask her what she does, she talks of weird professions about which they are usually not too eager to know.

Another friend informed me that whenever she went to parties, friends would discuss how to tackle their children who do not listen to them; why they were not serious about their studies; what could be done so that they started studying seriously and methodically. The buck stops at seeking advice on motivating children on not making boyfriends or girlfriends “at that tender age and in those formative years”.

Heartbreak and depression are other favourite topics of discussion to be taken up with a psychologist. As if this was not enough, the seekers would also like to know what medicines/treatment should be given for an autistic child or a schizophrenic adult. And if you tell them that this is not your area of expertise but that of a psychiatrist, they consider you not so knowledgeable.

The worst part is that being a psychologist, you are yourself under the scanner of the hoi polloi who would dub you as one of those suffering from some mental ailment since you couldn’t help but being on a slippery ground tackling “insane” things all your life.

OPED GOVERNANCE

The police in India needs to embark on an internal reform initiative. Worldwide, there is a “new police order” aimed at bringing in more professionalism and accountability for result-oriented functioning
Time to reinvent the police
Rohit Choudhary

The police must understand the needs and expectations of citizens. — Tribune photo

A reinvention of the Police Department would mean a transformation from being a traditional militaristic bureaucracy to an effective and efficient organisation that habitually innovates and continually improves the quality of service without having to be pushed from outside. It is about creating a "self-renewing system", something diametrically opposite to a stagnant department that the police has remained for over a century.

The Police Act, 1861, with which the story of present-day policing began, was modelled on the Irish police rather than the British, and was a major step in streamlining police organisations and their activities. The key difference between the British and Irish policing was that while there was a deliberate and sustained attempt to establish the legitimacy of the police in England by depoliticising the nature of policing, the police in Ireland was meant to deal with people hostile to colonial rule.

At the time of Independence in 1947, large-scale violence broke out, leaving no time for required reforms to transform policing in India, although there was a historic opportunity to do so. The only sign of change was the replacement of British officers with Indian officers at the top. The report of the Indian Police Commission, 1902-3, is a testimony to the fact that even today the police in India faces similar criticism that it faced a hundred years ago, of inefficient operation, poor leadership, rampant corruption and brutality, and incompetent investigation and prosecution of crime.

Emerging trends

In addition, the emerging trends of crime, Naxalism, terrorism, an increasing number of social legislation, easy access to means of transport and sophisticated communication with criminals, social upheaval resulting from rising aspirations of not only a large number of unemployed youth, farmers and labourers but also of a growing middle class have set the alarm bells ringing.

Also, there is a growing expectation and acceptance of the principle that the police derives its power from people and must be held accountable to them. In times to come the police is no longer to derive its authority solely from its relationship to the competent authority and work in vertical orientation but also from the competencies that it develops in the course of its direct contact with people they serve, which means also working in a horizontal orientation.

According to one study, there is a relationship between investment confidence and security and crime, the difference between developing economies that observe the rule of law and economies that do not is a more than 3 per cent growth in GDP. Realising the need for an environment of rule of law as an essentiality for economic growth as China opens up the country and introduces the policy of economic modernisation, the government has also implemented a comprehensive legal system to shift from a system of "rule by man" to "rule by law."

Changes in the private sector have also taken their toll on the traditional bureaucracy. Information technology has changed the private sector so much that experiences of citizens in the private sector and the public sector are becoming increasingly divergent. In turn, bureaucracies around the world are gearing up by adopting "New Public Management" to become citizen responsive and result-oriented.

Out of sync with times

Not surprisingly, the police departments in India governed by old rules and procedures find themselves out of sync with the times. The police today in an increasingly globalised world has to face the requirement of empowerment, partnerships, learning, standardisation, ethics, transparency, accountability, diversity and urgency. As a starting point, the police has to acknowledge and accept the shift, and embrace the unique configuration of several reinforcing strategies in order to present itself as a premier organisation in line with the emerging world dynamics.

Policemen and employees in the department are the most important players in the reinvention efforts. Only an empowered police officer on the street can be truly responsive, capable, committed and motivated to meet the demands of policing today. Steps required for empowering the policemen are: eliminating layers of middle-level officers that perform the same function, shift of control from top officers at the headquarters to districts and from districts further to the police stations in the field, and participatory management wherein suggestions from the field officers find a place in the organisational decision-making in an institutionalised manner.

Empowerment without any sense of direction can lead to anarchy. While policemen want the freedom of empowerment, they as much need the sense of direction which can only be provided by creating a strategic intent of the department. The strategic intent should make police officers understand the linkage between his or her job and the attainment of the organisational goal. Further, the appraisal system should be used as an aid for organisation and employee development rather than merely being used as a tool for disciplining the employees.

A vision once created, the leadership in the police then has to become the biggest living example of this vision through actions, emphasising the vision time and again to the front-line policemen. Authentic servant leadership, practising management by walking around to be in touch with the public and policemen both, can act as a centre of gravity in developing a culture of integrity in the police department. Such a leadership empathising with the poorest and the disadvantaged section of society would be ideally suited for the police departments to produce extraordinary results.

Community empowerment

From employee empowerment, the next step forward is community empowerment, complimented with the police department's accountability for results. The police must understand the makeup of communities as well as the needs and expectations that citizens have of their police services. Once the needs of customers are identified, policing activities should be oriented towards meeting these needs. It is being appreciated, though implemented incrementally, that in order to give a better service, the police has to address problems confronting society with public help. The identification of public needs would have to be supplemented with community empowerment which transfers control to the people. This can be achieved through community policing, governance bodies, collaborative planning, partnerships, community-based compliance and result-based management. The culture of improving service quality, integrity, preventing crime and building strong relations with the community can be developed through the implementation of a culture strategy for the department.

An important yet neglected area for policemen is the skills of quality police-citizen interaction. Police Departments must set service standards for their organisation that clearly define the quality and level of service they are committed to delivering to their customers. Each and every kind of contact is equally important as every contact is an opportunity for shaping favorable public opinion.

The standards that the police needs to set are both in the area of internal processes as well as public interaction. The quality of service commitment is to ensure that victims, witnesses, suspects and the general public - all clients -- should receive a high quality of service when dealing with the police. To supplement the creation of customer service standards the department should also provide for guarantees, complaint systems and means of redress and create institutionalised arrangements to hold the Police Department accountable for meeting the quality.

The speed and responsiveness are critical to police service as the job involves responding to emergencies and attending to the distressed on many occasions. It is also essential to have a good service recovery, to undo any wrong done as quickly as possible. Developing horizontal linkages within different units of the department, standard operating procedures for routine policing activities, encouraging suggestions from the public and effectively using technological advancements, while creating a sense of urgency in the staff can bring the desired pace in the services that the police offers. Streamlining cross-agency processes is the next great frontier for reducing costs, enhancing quality and speeding operations involving various agencies like the judiciary, the prosecution department, magistracy, the army and jail administration.

Police regulation

Politicians are the most influential stakeholders and it is imperative to enlist their support and whole-hearted cooperation in the initiative to reinvent the police. A well developed vision, working in partnership, briefing and sharing the credit can be the key to a successful relationship between the police and politicians. Police policy making should be an open process in which all the stakeholders work together to determine the priorities, philosophy and special concerns.

The September 22, 2006, Supreme Court order for setting up of a regulatory mechanism — state security commissions, police boards and authorities — is to ensure political neutrality and autonomy of the police by reforming the institutional system of the Indian police. The police administrators have the responsibility of providing an inspiring leadership to improve the quality of service and to solve community problems of concern. Also, it is important that the police itself makes sincere efforts and show genuine determination for reform as merely structural changes for ensuring political neutrality cannot guarantee that it will happen.

Around the world the important developments in policing in the 1990s include the dismantling of the old, strict bureaucratic order and bringing in more professionalism and accountability for result-oriented functioning, efficiency and responsiveness in the police. The Indian police has remained indifferent to the worldwide trend towards a "new police order", even though in India other institutions and the economy have been rapidly integrating with the world system.

The reinvention of the Police Departments in India is an idea for which the time has come. For the police in India it is time now to embark on an internal reform initiative, as tomorrow there may be no choice except for being driven by changes imposed from outside. The approach to reinvention has to be realistic, continuous small steps towards evolution rather than big revolutionary reforms.

The writer, IG Railways, is a former Director, Punjab Police Academy. He is also the author of "Policing: Reinvention Strategies in a Marketing Framework"