Our VIPs are the major cause of the mess we face on the roadside. Jammu City, from Secretariat Gate to Wazarat road and to Gandhi Nagar, remains most of the times, choked in traffic jam with countless travelers sweating and suffering. A VIP takes no more than 15-20 minutes to reach his palace-in the office or at the residence but the traffic deadlock remains intact for hours together with many patients, old men, small children-all undergoing mental agony. Our VIP troubles thousands to escape from a slight inconvenience. Our VIPs don’t share problems and inconveniences with their public, hence they fail to endear them to their public and under such circumstances how can they justify their position as public servants. If a leader is in tight security cover for fear of public, then the question arises- who has elected him? We are all aware of the details of what is happening in our lawless environment. Almost everybody has a harrowing tale to tell and what is conspicuously missing is a political will to arrest this situation. More painful is that the criminals, even if they are apprehended, are found back on the streets in no time because of their connections. The rumor is that kidnapping and street crime are such big businesses that they cannot be done away with, as they thrive with the backing of some ‘influential people’ who easily manipulate the system. The other peculiar crime pattern that we all witness has a political colour to it. Every change of government brings in their own gangs of racketeers and criminals on the street, who sometimes operate without the knowledge of the landed aristocracy. This hooliganism is much prevalent in some of the states of India-Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Bihar being a few to mention. Delhi is witnessing a greater surge in street crime. The rates of criminal incidents including killings, looting, kidnappings, rapes and molestations have meddled with the heights of sky assuming almost an uncontrollable position. Our police department is all helpless and confused. After all they are also human beings, how can they be the scape-goats. The situation has sent a shock down the spine of civilians in Delhi and other big cities. There can be two approaches to this mega-menace: one, the long-term solutions of reform and redesign, while the other is short-term solutions of vigilant enforcement. If the present regime is seriously looking for solutions, then both approaches should be mobilized on war footing.
Let us also try some out-of-the-box solutions like forming a think-tank of creative citizens — such as architects, designers, engineers, doctors, psychologists, entrepreneurs and senior citizens — to give their personal time once a week, discussing the evils that afflict our society, and come up with solutions. When the things have slipped out of the control of the authorities, the intelligentsia must be involved to battle the social handicaps. Let us start the process of reform which is long overdue. Rekindle a national debate on police reforms.. Let us create a new think-tank of retired justices, bureaucrats, police officials and jail wardens and do some serious restructuring and redesigning of the system. The biggest challenge and the most interesting of all for our think-tanks would be seeking solutions for eliminating the VIP culture. Guess who would resist such a scheme! A move was undertaken to remove tinted films from private vehicles which are against the law. The police could not succeed in it because most of the influential personalities of our society come on the way as a stumbling block on the way of a poor traffic police constable. How, after all, can this police official remove the tinted film from the vehicle of rich man who keeps the entire system in his pocket? The system can’t be put back on the track unless the settled segment of the society creates in it a sense responsibility. The idea is that no one should be above the law. I have a bizarre idea to control traffic crime i.e. to institute ‘DDS’ (the ‘Deaf and Dumb Squad)’ for traffic violators, a pair of commandos with 6/6 vision but unable to hear and speak. No verbal arguments or wheeling dealing. No VIP should be able to impress upon the DDS their status or connections. The punishment for violations should be instant, heavy and on-the-spot. If one is unable to pay fines, his vehicle should be confiscated on the spot and the owner, driver, and passengers should be pulled out and let go their own way.
We have to understand that it is not a revolution-in-the-making situation where the proletariats pick up arms to attack its bourgeois. Crime has been institutionalized by the powerful few who have learnt how to beat the system. Yes, the inequalities and injustices in a society breed crime, but our society is far too fragmented, politicized and complicated — there are many other forces that are brutalizing it. Therefore curbing crime is as critical as eliminating inequalities that widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Times call for drastic measures.
The scandal mongers captured red handed must not be heard and be punished without any delay because the long time pendency lessens the intensity of the crime and the criminals find time to save their skin. The judiciary should also expedite the disposal of the sub-judice cases since long pendency creates frustration among the plaintiffs and victims. Common and educated man should be empowered to audit on the departments freely and frankly and the incumbent officers must be bound to extent clarifications. Seventeen years ago, a dispensary was sanctioned at a distant village Mahra of Tehsil Surankote of Poonch District. The money stands released and embezzled but there not a fading sign of any structure of dispensary on the spot. But neither the Govt. asked the then district authority, nor the present Pooch District Administration is ready to answer. Some mechanism has to be chalked out to clean the environment of all such malignant diseases. Optimum utilization of our experienced Vigilance Organization and Crime Branch Department should be made to do the needful. There is all possibility for the restoration of a desirable atmosphere if these organizations are left scot-free to do their job. Unnecessary political interference, actually, does not permit them to go ahead unhampered.  

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Lastupdate on : Sun, 1 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 1 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 2 May 2011 00:00:00 IST