Collective will of the people begins from the grassroots and so begins the campaign in Delhi to democratize Delhi Police.Early morning email to Team AAP-GK to reach Mr.Saurabh Bharwaj,MLA Greater Kailash constitutency on 17th December was promptly acknowledged by a telephone call from his associate Ms.Mousree that fixed the meeting with young MLA at 1000 Hrs. at his Chirag Delhi residence.Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) won 28 seats in Delhi State Assembly Elections and “Team Nishan” visualizes its debut as a New Dawn of true democracy for its leadership’s approach to participatory democracy and decentralization in India. We analysed the profile of its MLAs who won the election and established contact with Mr.Saurabh Bhardwaj,MLA of Greater kailash costituency to brief him about Police Reforms From Peoples’ Perspective Campaign and sought his solidarity for the first activity in his area and he outrightly expressed his solidarity to implement the campaign and nominated Ms.Mousree Guha as POC(Point of Contact) for information sharing on the campaign.
Welcome-Police Reforms From Peoples’ Perspective-Mr.Saurabh Bhardwaj, MLA and Aridaman Jit Singh,Campaign Convener
17th December 2013 meeting with Aam Admi Parti (AAP) MLA Mr.Saurabh Bhardwaj begins our journey of PRPP in Delhi to democratize Delhi Police. The commonman knows Delhi Police from routine barricades on busy roads during peak traffic hours and frustration of passing through the bottle necks created by these Nakas or from the appearence of its Top brass on TV Channels making statements to either defend or justify the police apathy and efficiency.
The Delhi Police like anyother state police has maintained its paramilitary structure and regimental training on the pattern of infantry combatants of its men and major part of its manpower justifies its existence by deputing its manpower to surround the political and bureaucratic leadership in ceremonial display of authority, a colonial practice being perpetuated by successive governments and remanins very 1st of the antidemocratic step in democratic governance.
How exactly the colonial police structure is to be democratically institutionalized and adapted to local exigencies to make it performance oriented is an issue that will be resolved only in practice and Police Reforms From Peoples’ Perspective is the process to ensure local citizens participation to monitor the limitation and challenges of police in an organized and ongoing manner to address immediate needs and long term democratic reforms by challenging the existing assumptions and control police behaviour.
Armed with leaflets and campaign related information material, Aridaman Jit Singh when arrived at Mr.Saurabh Bhardwaj’s residence, he was already thronged by a group of young boys from Noida/Greater Noida to ascertain the process of getting ticket for forthcoming lok Sabha elections. It took him some time to make these youngesters understand that it is all about working and empowering at grassroots and not about connections, that can make them strong contender for the Ticket to MP’s election.
Soon, we explained the campaign to young MLA and described their role to arrange for the venue, mobilige community leaders and nominate a Point of Contact on his behalf to work with us and he was very quick in grasping the road map and his role and provided the coming Sunday the 22 December as the date for activity to hold first joint public meeting by involving all the stake holders including Delhi Police.
The most enthusiastic and inspiring response confirmed that AAP MLA’s are walking their talk and transition to democracy that was impeded by successive governments of last 66 years headed by feudal political parties, finally begins with the advent of AAP.