Police reforms, tale of arrested progress
police reforms. On Tuesday, Monu Manesar, a 'cow vigilante', was arrested by Haryana Police that is investigating July's Nuh riots. Later, Manesar was handed over to Rajasthan Police, which is probing a case in which two Muslim men were killed in Bhiwani in February.
In the intervening seven months, Manesar had been absconding. But that did not stop him from posting videos on social media, including a reportedly incendiary one in the aftermath of Nuh. Yet, Haryana Police 'couldn't' trace him, raising many questions about its intent.
Also, in a different context is the Supreme Court calling the Manipur Police incapable of conducting investigations into cases of Meitei-Kuki violence.
Police reforms have been a low priority. The 1861 Act was legislated after the 1857 mutiny to establish a force that would crush dissent. This Act continues in most states, pointing to an ironic lack of 'decolonisation' in one's own backyard.
Two key directives for the purpose of police reforms were fixing the tenure and selection of the DGP and a minimum tenure for the IGP to limit political interference. Despite another Supreme Court push in 2018, there has not been much progress on either front.
Key reason: lack of political will, a direct offshoot of criminalisation of politics. There is also an express need to fill vacancies, boost accountability, improve lives and working hours of police personnel, and invest in the improvement of skills and technology.
