The Third Eye: Good Police Work Determines the Success of a Democratic State

New Delhi, July 21 (IANS): It is very gratifying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is devoting a lot of time to the annual conferences of Directors General of Police, traditionally convened by the Director of Intelligence to discuss the internal security situation in the country, where maintenance of law and order is a key determinant.

Prime Minister Modi has shared his thoughts on how to improve and modernize the functioning of the police force in India. On his initiative, the conference is now being held outside the national capital in various states, which certainly highlights the importance of providing a uniform level of law and order, handling and protecting internal security across the length and breadth of the country, irrespective of the different political composition of the government at the Centre and in the states.

Democracy is a system of government by and for the people. One of the fundamental requirements is that the police, which is the coercive arm of the state, be impartial, accessible and humane, while at the same time upholding the law and maintaining order.

In a multicultural environment like that of India and in a situation where the country is particularly vulnerable to external threats to internal security, the police on the ground must be sufficiently vigilant to assist the national intelligence and investigation agencies in combating the dangers of narco-terrorism, mafia working for foreign bosses and cross-border hostile operations.

The role of the police in protecting national security has now become crucial. Since good policing is a prerequisite for the stability of our democratic state, it is imperative to urgently address the persistent deficiencies in policing.

During the last DGP conference in Jaipur, PM Modi rightly spoke about the need to change the mindset of the police. This can be done by relying more on data and facts instead of violence. There should also be partnerships between the police and the government and creating a positive image of the police among citizens.

Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the conference on all three days, referring to the challenges of drugs, cybercrime and the move towards forensic science.

He stressed the need to train police officers in the new criminal laws passed by Parliament.

An important step forward taken by the DGP conference is that it has become a national ‘think tank’ for discussing important issues such as delegating decision-making authority within the police, creating the right professional relationship between political leaders and police officers and strengthening the elements of involvement and empathy in police functioning.

The conference will currently discuss various security-related topics, including border management, cyber threats, the risk of radicalisation, counter-terrorism, identity fraud, misuse of artificial intelligence and the use of social media as a weapon.

Due to the personal involvement of the current Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the DGP conference, this event has acquired strategic importance for national security. It has helped to prioritize issues of law and order and internal security over politics.

With caste and communal divides widening after the recent parliamentary elections, the threat from militant groups fuelled by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency could increase. The danger of separatism in Punjab, fuelled by anti-India lobbies, particularly in the West, could also grow.

We must acknowledge that Prime Minister Modi himself has prescribed a ‘whole of government’ approach to counter ‘radicalisation’, involving intellectuals, social media and even civil servants, within the framework of the constitutionally recognised principle of harmonious coexistence of different religious communities.

A valuable suggestion made by Home Minister Amit Shah during the last DGP meeting was that a conference on ‘urban policing’ be organised to set up a common policing system in all municipal areas. In this way, all vulnerable sections could be targeted and protected from unscrupulous elements.

Major cities in India already had a system of police commissioners and the recommendation by Home Minister Amit Shah would go a long way towards setting a common standard of efficient policing in all urban centres, especially in tackling the menace of human trafficking, organised gangs using children for begging and crimes against women.

In a democratic state, the police should be an instrument for protecting the human rights of citizens, and not just for protection against conventional crime.

The primary responsibility for ensuring a uniform level of law and order throughout the country – despite the federal nature of the Indian polity – lies with the IPS and IAS officers, who form the so-called ‘steel framework’ of governance everywhere.

They allowed the police and the administrative apparatus to do their job regardless of the government’s political preference, and set their constitutional criteria in such a way that there could be no abuse of legal authority.

Although the police was defined as a ‘state entity’, it had to be realised that political parties would come and go, but the ‘steel skeleton’ that delivered valid policies serving the people was always there, offering some guarantee of service and benefits.

IAS and IPS officers are recruited by the Centre through a merit-based, national competitive examination. They are trained for their professional duties and then assigned to the states, with the understanding that their performance is largely monitored by the states.

There is no equivalent of IAS and IPS in any other major country in providing a ‘career in leadership’ in administration right from the start. The young officers join the civil service with high morale but unfortunately their enthusiasm is dampened when they witness lapses in political interference and lack of honesty flowing down from the top.

The Centre should actively explore the possibilities of having a say in the appointment of the Chief Secretary and the DGP of the state. The Supreme Court has already spoken out against the practice of appointing ‘acting DGP’ by the state government on the basis of political motivation. It has also laid down the procedure followed by the Union Public Service Commission for constituting a panel for selection for the post of DGP.

This could of course be repeated for the appointment of Chief Secretary. The Centre should pursue this more actively in the national interest.

A secular democratic state rests on the foundations of equality before the law and the well-being of the poor and the weak.

The Indian Constitution defines the fundamental rights of citizens, but also expects them to fulfill a number of duties to the state. These include the obligation to promote patriotism, protect public property from violence, and protect the sovereignty and integrity of India.

Citizens should be prepared to provide legitimate assistance in preventing and investigating serious crimes and this will only be possible if the police inspire confidence in the law-abiding population. Unfortunately, the police department, the unit of the police closest to the ground, has not improved its working methods and responses to the public in terms of handling complaints, refraining from using ‘third degree’ and eliminating corruption in its ranks.

The Indian police, even after decades, have not been able to implement these basic improvements in the functioning of the police station to the desired extent. This should be a cause of concern for the management of the police station.

The latter should take swift action to improve the situation as the police are facing tough times due to expected rise in caste, communal and regional tensions, rise in cybercrime and intensification of covert operations by the adversary aimed at weakening India’s internal security.

(The writer is a former director of the Intelligence Bureau. Views are personal)