JK News Today
Srinagar, November 6
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has put the police as face of the state whereas it should have been the human and political face of the government to reach out to the people . The police is meant for policing and the traditions that have been inherited since pre-independence era cannot be changed over night.
The state government should understand that with an open mind. But she has a point , which cannot be overlooked. Here, it’s why.
While Mehbooba Mufti has a point that the ten- 12 year old stone throwers or protestors first come face to face with the police in law and order situation . It here that the police’s face can change the dynamics of the whole situation . The use of pellet guns and tear gas shells and the resultant losses put the men in uniform in the frame of adversary . And what has happened in Kashmir in the past four months is horrifying . The loss of ninety lives, blinding of the youth and injury to thousands of others amounts to losses equivalent to some kind of war.
Secondly, when the policemen make arrests during raids or chase , their attitude is what makes the victims make an opinion about them. The police, during such raids, usually acts as a revenge force . The distinction between the men in uniform bound by certain rules and allowed to work within parameters of the rule of law is lost. That results in the loss of faith in the rule of law among the people. Not only those arrested but also this approach disgusts their friends, relatives and onlookers.
Thirdly, the police station is the first place of interaction rather interrogation for those arrested during the protests . There, the parents are seen beseeching for the release of their “ innocent” children or seeking forgiveness even if they had “ committed some minor crime.” Such scenes germinate anger and frustration among the victims . That can turn them into a major trouble makers with stones or guns in future. Keeping them in jails limits their world view and harden their ways of life.
Mehbooba Mufti who has been a witness to this kind of the “ mental torture” of the youth is aware that that the typical police approach would only complicate problem and dead end would approach sooner than later, leaving little or no room for reversing the things.
But more important than that is that there should be clarity in the political approach, no administrative or police reach out can substitute the political reach out.
