Another rape in the metropolis
and a ghastly one at that and the police is once again on the mat. The outrage
over the incident poured onto the streets and the media and rightly so. The
masses at large feel outraged and cheated, outraged over the sheer beastly
nature of the incident and cheated over their right to a free and safe movement
within the confines of the capital of the nation, right that needs to be
guaranteed by the state meant to provide proper governance.
The Delhi police, one of the
finest police forces in the nation is once again in the firing line. Perhaps
they have been in the firing line so often, that by now they would have
realized that the heat would melt away in a few days, anyway with the election
results round the corner. The moot question however remains is whether the
police could have prevented what happened and whether they are to be blamed to
the extent they are actually being.
While watching the debate on
Times Now yesterday, I could not help but commiserate over the plight of the
young joint commissioner of police who obviously like all bureaucrats with
little real authority over his domain had to respond to uncomfortable charges.
I could visualize his request for additional force and police control vans
doing the rounds of the great Indian bureaucratic system that does not fully
authorize those accountable. I was also aghast at the attitude of some of the
participants who were not in favour of capital punishment that indeed may prove
to be the biggest deterrent for such crimes against humanity. Perhaps physical castration
may be the best bet.
I often wonder how one sector of
the massive governance machinery excel in isolation when the efficiency of the
entire tantra is below par. When shall all of us who are a part of the tantra
start appreciating that authority and accountability have to be in matched sets
for delivery to be possible. Unfortunately empowerment and systemic
improvements remain a utopian dream as much in the police as in the rest of the
system.
Is it not unfortunate that merely
beating around the bush is what keeps most of us in the sarkari tantra occupied?
In the absence of adequate empowerment, quick decision making processes and
complex contractual mechanisms topped up by a fair sprinkling of mistrust
inherent in the governance machinery, we are indeed getting a taste of our own
medicine!
Nation building requires the toil
of generations and unfortunately we never toiled. The society is indeed at the
receiving end of what it deserves.
