Enough of protecting MLAs and Ministers…
So, yesterday when I wrote about how police are actually harassed and how they should be back at the police station rather than protecting MLAs, nearly 7 to 8 MLAs called me and had another side of the story which I needed to tell. So they said, Vikrant, are you imagining a situation only for metros while writing this piece? What about those MLAs who work in naxalite areas or even take on powerful people from the opposition on a regular basis? Yes, in metros protection might be coined as a status symbol for few, but in rural parts of our state or even in Mumbai, we MLAs are more at risk all the time. He said, is it easy to be Ashish Shelar and take on Thackeray’s or is it easy to be Mohit Kamboj and take on Raut and Nawab Malik, if you talk about metros? IN rural areas or Tier 2 and 3 cities not many of the general public where we roam around, like us or our ideology; there are times when the government does not work and the public think we have a magic wand, we can get things done and when that does not go as per their wishes, there are attacks on us, ink throwing, pushing and all is a very common phenomenon. Hence we need protection. Now when I say that police are flaunted at parties by MLAs, the other side of the story says that Vikrant, even many of the protection police love all this. At times they are ‘tipped’ well, taken care of for food and alcohol, and in fact they don’t have any qualms being at the parties standing like HE MAN for their MLAs. They develop this sense of ‘invincibility’ very soon. Then what about police heads such SP and DYSP at district level who in real sense ‘abuse’ their orderlies at their bungalows? Right from washing clothes, to making food, to dropping kids to school, to visiting various Mandi’s these IPS use cops at their bungalows for everything possible. How is that correct? I was dumb found after hearing this and immediately the thought struck my mind when Devendra Fadnavis had proposed ‘privatisation of protection’ but it attracted a lot of opposition from all sides of the Government. Fadnavis had the intelligence and could see how these cops under the name of ‘security orderly’ or ‘protection’ were being used and abused, he had proposed privatisation of protection, but as usual this policy never saw the light. High time for the government to think yet again before our cops’ minds get corrupted and get used to this abuse at an early stage of their career!
My advice to this top cop of Mumbai…
No, this advice isn’t for CP Vivek Phansalkar or Special CP Deven Bharti or even the DGP. The advice is for this cop who has suddenly become “Singham” after watching “Satya” Prem ki Katha. Jokes apart, It is said he is fighting with his other 3 peers continuously to show them that the ‘law and order’ will be his way. What has happened, the other ‘North Indian’ after watching the movie “Laxmi” has sat on the lap of the special commissioner and this one (whom I am advising) thinks he has the support of everyone, but my friend, time to do a reality check. All the batch mates of this cop who are at top positions in Mumbai along with him are fighting tooth and nail to show who is the boss apart from the one handling the EOW, who is way above all of this. Now one advice to this cop from me. Sir, everyone gets their share of fame and power for once in this lifetime, but it is important that you don’t forget who has helped you in the times when you were at Thane or a normal DCP. When you have a friend who has ZERO interest as to who you become in life, when he or she faces one small problem in his/her life and approaches you, you don’t even answer the phone or reply to his messages for weeks. Not done sir! If this is not selfishness, then what is it? And to tell you what is going on in your IPS circles as gossip, it is no use that you hold all your 4 Additional CP’s on line of fire especially in a city like Mumbai. Understand the basics, your Senior Police Inspector of any police station and your DCP’s (not even ACP) are the most important pillars to control while bossing in Mumbai. There you are very bubbly and smiling with them where you should be absolutely strict, and you do “Narayan Narayan” in front of Additional CP’s. Request Commissioner Phansalkar and Special Commissioner Deven Bharti to teach this flamboyant, keeping everyone happy type of policeman and few basics of policing politics. Else, if Devendra Fadnavis has his way, he can be sent to Pimpri Chinchwad, Nashik, Nagpur or at CID also. One advice for all the cops who take ‘friends’ for granted, times change, postings change. Your boss will no longer be with you, but that friend will. Take care of the ‘friends’, and don’t be unreasonable. If your one phone call helps your friend or any one as matter of fact, make that phone call, you never know what part ‘blessings’ play in life.
Vikrant Hemant Joshi
