Mr.Prashant Bhushan, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India expresses solidarity to PRPP campaign

On 17th November 2010, Team Nishan was blessed in its campaign on Police Reforms Peoples’ Perspective by the leading legal luminary of the country Mr.Prashant Bhushan,Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India. Mr.Prashant Bhushan is the main protagonist of the campaign on Judicial Accountability that is dedicated to cleansing the judiciary of pernicious corruption.

Mr.Prashant Bhushan writting the Campaign Book PRPP with Mr.Ved Prakash Yadav(Office bearer-GURU) & Campaign Convener

Mr.Prashant Bhushan, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India was very kind to devote his precious time to the cause of reforms in the police from bottom up to address the real issues afflicting the police performance in the country.

He appreciated this very fact that the directions of apex court, in Prakash Singh case that comprise of six directions, were with the sole objective of insulating Top Police leadership from undue political pressure and interference in the selection & appointments of Director Generals in the State Police and Central Police organizations and to assure them of Fixed Tenure.

Campaign Convener, PRPP Campaign discussed the pitfalls of current Police structure that is Paramilitary based with absolute powers in the hands of supervisor administrative officers extending from the ranks of Superintendent of Police to Director General without direct accountability.

The lack of specilisation among Top Police leadership without specific operational roles in executive policing evolves this rung of police leadership into diplomatic survivalists who become pliable and compromising on ethics of democratic policing and thus they form part of the problem.

The hollow of Big Brass on shoulders with adminstrative responsibility, but lack of direct role and accountability in day today opeartional policing, breeds insecurity and low self esteem, that allows every interference into policing, 78 IPS officers quitting their jobs in last six years is the result of this paramilitary structure of Policing that results into sense of insecurity pervading the minds of these brilliant scholars. 

He agreed that the executive policing revolves around the front line police officers(Constable to Inspector) comprising of Patrol Officers, Investigation Officers, forensic experts & special weapon and tactics teams with minor elements of armed police for specific ocassions.

The Top heavy police structures are the outcome of selfserving bureaucracy from (The Picture on left to right- Ms.Susana Costa, Federica D’Alessandra,Mr.V.P.Yadav,Mr.Prashant Bhushan & Ms.Haydee)collonial era that recruits academic sholars,doctors, engineers without any test of their aptitude if they can ever make it to be an efficient detective/police officers and on realization they are left with no options but to quit due to lack of professional satisfection.

 Analysis of casualities suffered by the IPS officers in independent India elaborately reflects upon the lack of security conciousness and professional capabilities among this supervisory administrative class of leadership. The proliferation in ranks of DGs/ADGs/IGs/DIGs on military structure among Top Police leadership in no way enhances effectiveness of Police and completely retrograde to Policing in a democratic system of governance. Human Resource management of front line police officers,their recruitment, training and career progression is completely marred by the prevalent corruption of Top Police leadership resulting from low self esteem and lack of management skills.

Having heard all the details, the legal Eagle tendered his most invaluable advice on issues identified and as part of strategy also adviced to convene a workshop in the capital city.

In no uncertain terms he expressed his complete solidarity to the Police Reforms Peoples’ Perspective Campaign and assured of all the help to the extent possible to make it Successful.