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Intelligence failure brings "Guard of Dishonour" for Raj Cops

Rajasthan Police was caught napping when cops refused to give guard of honour to union home minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to inaugurate the training centre.

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It was an utter failure of ‘intelligence’ during the inauguration of West Zone Regional Training Centre of the Intelligence Bureau in Jodhpur on Monday.

Rajasthan Police was caught napping when cops refused to give guard of honour to union home minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to inaugurate the training centre. The incident handed over a big embarrassment to the union home minister who is the boss of law and order and security of the entire country.

If the police, which are often looked upon to avert illegal strikes and agitations, themselves rebel then there is very little state government can do. Especially from a home minister like Gulab Chand Kataria, who has openly expressed his helplessness over control on the police to an extent that he has burst into tears several times over the functioning of his own department.    

Blame-game has already begun. DGP Ajit Singh has announced that those found guilty would be severely punished. In days to come, cops will be suspended, policemen will be reprimanded. But question remains. Could this incident be averted? Could Rajasthan Police be saved from this disgrace?

“It’s not only cops of lower rungs who evaded the guard of honour and went on mass leave are responsible but also senior officers, who failed to gather internal intelligence about the rebellion that was brewing for the past few days, are equally responsible,” said a senior police official.

The cops went on mass leave over the rumoured government’s intention of reducing wages. However, more than wages, it’s the pitiable work condition of policemen which could have sparked the protest. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) had conducted a study in 2014 on working conditions of cops spanning 23 states and union territories. The study found that 90 percent of police station staff across states and across various police stations worked more than eight hours a day, some even up to 11 to 14 hours a day. Over 73 percent of police station staff said they could not take their weekly-offs even once a month and were often recalled to duty during their off time to deal with emergency law and order issues. The police department is suffering from chronic under-staffing.

Rajasthan is not the first state to witness cops ‘rebel’. Last year in June, 60,000-strong constabulary of Karnataka had threatened to go on strike over low wages and pitiable work conditions. However, the strike was then averted through some stringent actions which ultimately didn’t go well with the ranks and cadre.

“Unless states implement the police reforms directed by Supreme Court in 2006 for  functional autonomy and enhance police accountability, there is high risk of such incidents across the country,” said a senior police officer.

SC Directives for Police Reforms

Constitute a State Security Commission (SSC) to ensure that the state government does not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure on the police. SSC will also lay down broad policy guideline and evaluate the performance of the state police.

Ensure that the DGP is appointed through the merit-based transparent process and secure a minimum tenure of two years.

Even police officers on operational duties (including Superintendents of Police in-charge of Districts and Station House Officer in-charge of a police station) are also provided minimum tenure of 2 years.

Separation of investigative and law and order functions of the police

Set up a Police Establishment Board to decide on transfers, postings, promotions and other service related matters of police officers of and below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and recommend the same for officers above the rank of DSP.

Set up Police Complaints Authority at state and district level to inquire into public complaints against police officers in cases of serious misconduct.

Set up National Security Commission at the Union level to prepare a panel for selection and placement of Chiefs of the Central Police Organisations with a minimum tenure of two years

 

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