Sachin wrote:
ASPuar, totally agree with your analysis on the behaviour of the police men. I guess the general social circumstances at the place where such incidents happen also should be considered. In certain parts of India, I see that IAS/IPS officers are like small time rajahs who have a personal fiefdom over the territory. The politicians off course are the maharajahs. The PSI, HCs are all like small time heads of militias etc., and hold sway over smaller territories. Any one who upsets this apple cart, would be taken to task by the higher ups. There seems to be know other system, which can help the people down the pecking order. So a classic case of an SI, who can thrash civilians in the most inhumane way, pissing in his pants when an IPS officer comes up. The IPS officer can do pretty much the same to the SI,HC, PC etc.
The sad part is that this sort of boorish behaviour of the IAS/IPS-wallahs also gets taken up by their wives and kids. Remember the case of a Lady Inspector being attacked by the wife of a senior IAS officer at Bangalore. The spoilt brat of this fellow, had ridiculed police men in uniform, and the inspector reprimanded him for this nasty behaviour. Now Mrs. IAS does not like this at all and thus started the fight.
Let me be quite honest with you. The worst cases of IAS/IPS wallahs behaving in boorish way, are when these people are from the same areas of India, which you mentioned in your posts. The sad case is that they are just imposing their boorish behaviour (which may be the "in thing" in their parts of the wood) among the parts of India, where people have better way of dealing with others. I feel that literacy is one "differentiating factor" here. K.P is doing away (or already done away with) the "Orderly" system. At the max there is a PSO for the IPS officer, but not an "Orderly". Police men have now started raising their voice and say they are not paid to work as "Orderlies" (this nappy changing business, and running errands for the IPS++, i.e the SHQ of the IPS officer). Have heard complaints (more in the lines of whines), that their IPS posting is not giving them the same level of clout which they may have got in their own home states. The media is ever watchful, and any wrong moves would cause unneccessary troubles. So much so that many of the young IPS officers now consider the junior ranks in much more better respectable terms. Some of them have shown enough team playing and leadership skills, that it has brought real good improvement in L&O situations.
I agree with what youre saying, but I will point out the SP Kuruvilla, IPS, who ordered the front rolls, is domiciled in Kerala, though posted to AGMUT cadre. I think ill grace is not by birth, but acquired by the individual.
That being said, Im not at all surprised at the reports of disgruntlement among IAS/IPS from UP/Bihar feeling that they dont have the same status as they would in their home states. Where the political authority is weak, or ineffectual due to 'other' interests (eg corruption, not bothered about administration), these bureaucrats usurp the function of the political executive, and get away with anything. An IPS officer in Bihar under Laloo was essentially GOD. He could do ANYTHING, and NEVER be questioned! Nowadays, with Nitish Kumar in power, this arbitary, and extra legal power has become much less (leading to some amount of heartburn!).
With regard to the larger system of policing, essentially, the whole system of IPS/SPS/Subordinate Services/Group D is colonial, and should be chucked in the bin. It arose, because the British needed a paramilitary type police force, to keep the populace in check. This is why the police has officer ranks and non officer ranks, something that is not usual in civil service type police elsewhere.
If at all an officer-non officer system has to exist in the police, it should be that all start at the same level, and then work their way up to a rank. The police today has too many 'managers' and too few effective workers. In truth, most of the real police work is being done at the non gazetted officer level, through PI, PSI, ASI, with other higher officers only 'supervising'. One young IPS officer who used to be a journalist even went to the extent of rather pompously saying that he 'presides' over some 6000 policemen as an SP. Of what use is his "presidency"?
IPS officers join work, spend a short time in the field, and then are posted elsewhere. Within four short years of service (including two spent in training only), they become eligible to be SP's of a district. What use is this greenhorn SP? Shouldnt someone managing the security of a police district have some experience first? Its like if someone told a newly minted army officer, four years into his service, here, take this batallion, and command it (this happened shortly after independence to many officers btw). What happens in such a situation? The boss doesnt know anything about anything, but cant show it, cuz hes the boss. The old sinners (SI, PI, etc) run the show, whichever way they want. Who loses? The public!
As regards bad behaviour of IAS/IPS relatives, I have seen most IAS in Punjab/Haryana have lots of policemen attached to thier houses. Their kids all have drivers who are HC/ASI level, to intimidate anyone who comes across thier vehicles. Is there any wonder they have no respect for anything?
Bangalore case, the lady got her desserts. She was arrested, as I understand it, though of course, released right away thereafter.