ARE ALL POLICEMEN BASTARDS?

                  

            ARE  ALL POLICEMEN BASTARDS?

Two days ago, I accidently came across a post published in the blog of a person whose blog has been listed in the 'best blog of India' list under the head-humor/ satire. The blogger with an exceptional flair for writing inspires lot of new generation writers with her brilliant and lucid write-ups and as a new comer to the world of blogging, I could only start reading her recently and that too when I accidently came across her while surfing for some good ones. It’s truly amazing to read her blog which would definitely make you feel relaxed with its satirical style of writing. 

It was about an incident that had happened at the Huda City Centre Metro station in Gurgaon where her hand bag had gone missing from the X-Ray conveyor belt, obviously in the presence of few security personnel and Metro staff. It’s indeed a nasty incident that could have been so easily avoided had the people responsible should have pursued the right thing in right perspective.  She had lost a lot of cash, few credit cards, her ATM card and the keys of her house and above all her latest Android. The incident, iam sure, can drive even the calmest person in the world to serious frustration and rage and can only be understood by those who went through it even once. We as human beings are living naturally and hence those outrageous words spat out by the author calling a police officer, a  ‘leery bastard’ who in her words “was ogling at her cleavage and arms” as a pervert,  and describing a police station as a place to be avoided like a bubonic plague are natural and understandable. Since this happened to a writer, whose blog I love reading,  I decided to post a comment by apologizing for whatever happened to her on behalf of the community which I belongs to and thereby requesting her to continue with her writing rather than allowing that incident to take its toll on her creative brilliance. 

 Here goes the comment, in its original version without any additions or deletions, which I had posted on her blog the same day.

           “First off, I must say sorry for coming here for the first time to say-Sorry.  As a newcomer to the Blogosphere, let me bemoan my fate.  It’s only a couple of days ago I came across your blog and I absolutely love it. You are such an amazing writer with a great flair for writing.  What happened to you today is so unfortunate. You have got the umpteen rights to be outrageous for what happened to you which you have showered in abundance in your post. I do apologize on behalf of my community for whatever happened to you. It could have been so easily avoided had the people who are responsible done the right thing in right perspective. But now, I know you have had enough solace and one more from me won’t matter much.  Our policemen, particularly lower in hierarchy are overstressed and many hails from our own villages and poor background. One of my friends commented above that those who join the police are either undereducated or were not good enough to do any other job but to become a criminal or join police. Can you tell me, who has to take the blame for that? Such a brilliant person you are, no more elucidation required right? I’am sure you can make a nice article out of this. Please do it for me. Another friend’s comment about his experience inside a police station is self explanatory to the appalling condition the ordinary policemen live in our country. Forgive them. Do we support the idea of dismantle the police system and become anarchists? Free gun license to all and say go save you. Mam, someone has to join the police, no? Our society often thinks of policemen as someone who are there to die and read the news about police who have died in the line of duty (Mumbai attack or Chhattisgarh holocaust, yesterday in Gadchiroli ), in the same manner as you said in the introductory paragraph “cluck and shake your head in sympathy and proceed to finish your cup of tea”. Let it be. But by telling this, Iam not at all justifying the policemen who are responsible for putting you in that terrible misfortune. You have already showered a lot of abuses on them. Still you are free to approach the seniors in the hierarchy for which Iam sure, you will be heard amicably. Don’t disturb your creative head any more. Let us hope, somewhere someone trying to get a taxi to reach you and return back your handbag which she/he took mistakenly. As you rightly said in your profile-loves pocking fun at everything especially herself- just take it as an incident for future and inspire and enrich us with your brilliance in writing as I could do no more than this but to pray for you. By respecting the dignity of this space for comments- God bless you. “

To my surprise, though expected vaguely, the comment has not been published for unknown reasons. May be it has been conveniently deleted by the blogger or rejected by the 'comment moderation system' after having been recognized it as a 'potentially dangerous spam'. Either way, it’s not my loss as I could find many a blog where the blogger values and encourages people to share insights and are mature enough to handle a comment which at times is not sugary. But then I strongly believe that I haven’t made any derogatory remark to spot a genuine flaw she made in her post, nor did I say anything to put her in that ‘hate to be proven wrong’ syndrome except indicating a small point that contradicts her outburst and creating ruckus out of wrath at the metro station with her statement in her profile as she is a person who- loves pocking fun at everything especially herself.  Anyway it’s her blog and it’s her prerogative to publish it or not. If at all the dubious disappearance of my comment is due to a genuine technical hitch, then I’am here alive to emphatically apologize to her for my aforesaid statement.

You may think that I'am writing this post to vent out my disappointment for not getting my comment published. But the fact is that, I have started drafting this even before posting my comment.  What genuinely made me realize that I should write something here is the horrendous outrage the friends and followers of the author unleashed against the whole police system by generalising the issue. They were found to be competing with each other in finding the filthiest words in the dictionary to do the same. And many of them emerged as brilliant writers reflecting the negative side of creativity by truly accepting that they never ever had an opportunity to talk to a policeman or to involve themselves in the ibid system. In a democratic, socialist country like India, every citizen has the basic right to speak, express, comment and protest against anything wrong. But then why would you judge a community based on what a person did something wrong? I’am sure, many will take this as my love and steadfast loyalty towards my community. Then again, it’s their prerogative. But the fact is that, by doing so, you are insulting several upright officers in the police department who works hard for the well being of the public and several others who have sacrificed their lives to see you safe at your home.

It's well known that, around the world policemen of lower ranks who are most likely to encounter the members of the public. Here in our country where half of the population is under below poverty line, the general public is an amalgamation of well off and well educated people as well as poor and lower middle class. It needs tremendous skills and years of training to deal with each one of them as per their expectations. It’s natural that the educated and affluent members of the society  carries much expectations as to how they should be treated everywhere. And as I have mentioned in my comment to the author, many constables in police department comes from villages and poor family background, with educational qualification ranges from matriculation to upper intermediate level. After joining the police, most of them who are fairly smart, learn pretty quickly what they have been taught in the police training centers regarding human rights and public dealing. Many others take more time to understand how to behave gently to public. And of course there are few who never understand anything. They are the ones who mock at the system and brings bad name to the whole community. I accept. But then please let me know if there is any flawless community exists in this world?  To fathom the intricacies of this complex system, we need to analyze ourselves by opening all available forums to communicate each other. The more the distance we keep ourselves from the police the more do we shut the opportunities to communicate. Nobody can be blamed for this except ourselves. We have not yet fully recovered from the ill effects of colonialism imposed on us by the British rulers. To alienate police from the civil society was an idea cropped up in their mind to suppress the populace by fear and force to rule us as per their convenience using their sheer power. Policing being a state subject in India, it will take some time before the government takes any decision about the implementation of police reforms in full and to take effect several directives given by the Supreme Court to the states in this regard.

Coming back to the article, I differ in opinion with few of my friends who had commented on the subject. Due to space restrictions, I have not mentioned anything in the comment of my own posted on that day. At least, Iam happy to see that none of them, over this issue, had criticised the policemen for allegedly perpetrating this act of thievery which I have been expecting after reading the language of rage they were using against the whole police system for their apparent inaction.  In the midst of this entire melee, the person who actually took her handbag and flees had escaped unscathed without getting a single filthiest abuse from the author as well as her friends. I can’t say for sure, but I still believe that her bag was taken mistakenly by someone as it happened in many cases earlier and will eventually reach her by parcel or courier one fine morning. The person who had committed the mistake wouldn’t have the courage to come out into the limelight then and there due to obvious reason, particularly after watching all the commotion inside. If it is a thievery, which according to me is a very remote possibility, involvement of an organized criminal racket active in railway stations couldn't be ruled out. The CCTVs could provide some feedback on it. Let us hope for the best.
If at all you were ensnared in such a situation, what I suggest is to keep your cool. These rackets are ‘thoroughly professional’ in carrying out such acts which they often commit after observing your movements and even by reading your emotions. The more keyed up and hurry you are the more likely you are to get targeted. If by chance you are spellbound in such a bad situation and you genuinely feel that the policemen in attendance are least cooperative, which in itself is a most unfortunate state of affair; you can approach an officer higher in chain of command without a prejudiced mind and tender a written complaint before him or solicit his valuable guidance which he will do, I’am sure, with empathy.  As a responsible citizen, highly educated and belong to the affluent society, the author should have first explored all the available forums ahead of her rather than unleashing a unilateral outrage against the whole police system in a public medium. A public forum is an arena where you should contribute something for the betterment of the society and project issues in a diligent manner so that the readers/audience appreciate the core of the issue and salute it as thought provoking. In view of the fact that the author candidly wrote in her post that the constables are not ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and are amateurish and uneducated, it’s obvious that her blog is not meant for them to read and reform themselves. What the author earned from doing all the ruckus inside the station in front of the police and metro staff is just obliterating the last drop of empathy she genuinely deserves from the mind of the staff which would have lend a hand in finding her stolen bag in later course. This I have to say, though despondently. 
But if the motive behind the post is to impart maximum advertisement about the issue and thus provoke the attention of higher authorities by posting it in face book or other such medium, as many of her friends already did, I acknowledge it as a brilliant idea harvested in her head.  Sort of identifying and exploiting a major fault in the system. It's indeed a good potion for quick redressal, if you genuinely think that in our country you have to shout to be heard. Attacking police is definitely one of the best ingredients to invite maximum public attention. 
Now let me have an appeal to my friends, both in police and the public as well. I will start with my police friends, particularly to those who are up in hierarchy.
Why can’t we try to educate our men, particularly those in much lower levels to refrain from doing anything which potentially harm the dignity of our department and tarnish our image in front of the society? Why can’t we direct them to be extra courteous while dealing with the general public, rich or poor, even if they are under stress?  Why can’t we try befriending the public? Why can’t we isolate those who never understand the significance of policing and deal with them harshly as well?  I know we are understaffed and are in tremendous stress and strain. But still, let’s try doing it for our future generation. We officers are at the liberty of doing it which falls under our own authority. We mature by age and service. So let us communicate our experiences to our juniors. They will pay attention to you only but to the bloggers or intellectuals in our society. We are the ones to reform them. We may set a good example for those among us every time when they look at us for guidance and tell them – see look at me and do exactly what Iam doing. We can bring a lot of change.
Now to my friends from the public community. First of all please do not generalize us or in that matter any community for a transgression committed by an individual belong to that community.  Does the person who master minded the Mumbai attack represent a community?  Further the one who unleashes attack on the minorities in Gujarat doesn’t represent a community either. Person who killed Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi too doesn’t represent a community. So, there are good guys and bad guys in all sections, in all communities and in all countries. Let us try understanding and living by the fact. We are privileged that we are not living in Syria or Somalia. Is there a country without crime? 
To one of my beloved brother who commented that the people who join the police are those who could not get quality education, were not good enough to do any other job and had only two options with them, that to join police or become a criminal, I have few words. I hope you are a well educated person. Now tell me, to whom do you express your gratitude for making you an educated person?  It’s your parents who got you admitted in a school when you were a kid, paid your fees and gave you good food and clothing. In few exceptional cases, like orphans, some other noble hearted person did the same. But any way it's not you all by yourself...right? In a country where almost half of the population living below the poverty line, such parents is a minority who could afford to send their wards to IIM or IIT and bestow them the “quality education” you were talking about. Now I hope you won’t blame at least those unlucky policemen for not been able to get quality education. Education is alms, a charity you attain by the mercy of someone. Try to understand this as your primary wisdom.  Your comment was so painful my dear brother. By respecting your right of expression, let me tell you one more thing. Please ask the hapless parents of those boys who  have died and still dying in recruitment centers of armed forces and police while giving grueling physical efficiency tests in empty stomach, how much aspirations they had in their wards to make then policemen instead of fetching some good money by sending them to the world of crime. Poverty and illiteracy is not a felony. It’s just a fate instead. It’s their destiny that they born in a poor family and you in rich.
And to those brothers and sisters who have commented the policemen as ‘bunch of bastards with bangles on their hand’, I welcome you to this part of the world where we are deployed. Come to Chhattisgarh, Gadchiroli or Chintalnar to see for yourself what is in our hands. Or else you can go to those places where our peers in ITBP and BSF are burning the midnight oil, with their eyes wide open in sub zero degree temperatures of Kargill, leh and ladakh, far away from their families for months and years to make you sleep peacefully in your air-conditioned room with your partner.
When Mumbai was attacked, all were fleeing from the scene shrieking and squealing for help and those unfortunate souls who could not flee have died on the streets. That was one of the worst terrorist attacks our country has ever seen. When everyone else ran for cover after shots were fired in all directions, few those who were not there at all came running towards the place even from the farthest parts of India to help the people, to save their kith and kids and eventually many of them were killed in the act. They were THE POLICEMEN and THE ARMED FORCE MEMBERS. They died just for YOU, because they are trained and paid to pull in towards the danger but not away from it. So, in a way they are paid to be vulnerable. Now, you can seriously think about joining us-The Police- Can you?  And for your kind information, they are the ones, the only ones who would be doing it for you. In a country where more than thousand policemen are killed every year while performing their duty, let us, at least not call them- a bunch of bastards.

But still, we won’t blame you. It’s an oath we took willfully.  . You made a lot of commotion inside the station by violating the norms, you shout at public servants in uniform and bang on everything you could see and spat those filthy words and you are here advising the policemen to behave in manners. The poor constable who accompanies you to the metro station, according to you were acting Sherlock Holmes. If all these are epitome of good manners, then I hope you can easily forgive those constables as well.   

Once again I would like to reiterate that I would never justify the acts of the policemen who are responsible for her plight. I sincerely appeal to the competant authority that they should be punished. And that’s the way we reform as better beings.

Before I wind up, I beg the permission to attach with this post a letter I received from a person from Mumbai, years back, when I was performing my duties as Officer Commanding at the Srinagar Airport. I never had any intention to make it public, which obviously would be reckoned as an act of extravagant self-assertion. But as it just fit in the scene, I thought otherwise. The background of the incident is that, one fine morning I found a driving license lying on the road side inside the Airport. I posted it to the person whose address I got from the license itself. I never thought the recipient will give a response. But when I received a beautifully written letter from him, it meant to be one of the most valuable commendations I got in my service. 
 My apologies to the gentleman for making it public and if you think I made a mistake by doing so, please let me know so that I will remove it promptly.


Now to the respected blogger, please let us know when you get your lost bag and post another article about it. I'am sure it's going to happen soon.  That would be a very interesting post...right? 

 Iam sure many have different views and have independent opinions on the above issue.  Please post your comment if time permits.   “JAI HIND”..




 

A TRUE CITIZEN