Hightened security and men in uniform : Harassing the public
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: January 26, 2015 -
Combing operations in Kwakeithel Thiyam Leikai, Akham Leikai and Thounajam Leikai area :: January 19, 2015 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam
Stringent security measures. Not unexpected given the fact that a number of armed outfits have given a boycott call of the country’s Republic Day and it is the same old story.
A story which all youngsters have experienced in Manipur ever since the guns started booming. It was not always like this.
For those who grew up before the trouble started in this part of the country, Republic Day or 26th January meant school children staging march pasts and other colourful parades.
To many it was a day for going out in their best woollens, eating out and taking in a movie at the local film theatre.
However for the past many decades, Republic Day has increasingly come to mean a day meant for staying indoors or within one’s compound and a shut down of all major market places.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with the call of the militant outfits is a different thing, but it is a strong statement that down the years there have emerged forces against the idea of India as a Nation.
Something which Delhi has repeatedly sounded that it is concerned about.
There are however bound to be different takes on the method that has been employed to deal with these forces.
Not everyone will be out to enforce the boycott call given by the rebel groups, but today it has become difficult to say whether people prefer to stay indoors because of the boycott call or in fear or apprehension of the men in uniform.
After all who wants to be subjected to harsh and unruly words and body search by security personnel, especially in the run up to Republic Day.
Security arrangements should be taken up, there is no doubt about it, but care should be taken to see that the public are not harassed unnecessarily.
The bane of Manipur is the point that in trying to enforce anything, particularly the rule of law, the men in uniform, tend to come under the impression that it gives them the license to harass and insult the public.
This is what is unacceptable.
State security cannot and should not be compromised but in the process measures taken up to ensure that the rule of law prevails should not be reduced to an exercise in harassing the public.
This is where lessons on public etiquette need to be imparted to the law keepers. Absolutely makes no sense to bark out orders in the harshest and gruffest voices.
A firm but gentle announcement or reminder is all that is needed.
Given the practise here, it becomes difficult to say whether people rush back home in the evening heeding the boycott call or in fear or apprehension of the men in uniform.
This has been the story for decades and is a reflection of how far removed are the law keepers from the general public.
Maintaining law and order should be something removed from harassing the general population.
A point which should have sunk into the consciousness of the law keepers a long time back.
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