It was ridiculous to know that the Police Department rounded up 711 youths on charge of having long hair and wearing earrings. People reacted with anger toward this totalitarian action, calling it insensible and foolish. Thousands of parents whose children were studying in the capital passed their day in anxiety, wondering if their children were safe.
Monica Moorehead wrote in her article in the Workers World that “out of all big US cities, New York City stands virtually alone when it comes to police violence and abuse.” According to the New York City American Civil Liberties Union, in 2011 more than 685,000 people had been victims of stop-and-frisk, the NYPD’s racial-profiling policy. Although police high-handedness is seen all over the world, as proven by this example from New York, nowhere is it as nonsensical as in Kathmandu.
At a time when poor education quality has driven many students outside the country, the police’s latest whimsy could trigger a new outflow of students from Nepal. While lawlessness and impunity reign supreme for the rich, the famous, and the criminals, ordinary citizens have to live at the mercy of the state’s instruments. Dressing and living according to one’s choice without disturbing others is a basic right. No one, not even the state, has the authority to interfere in such universal freedoms. The police of our country, who are taking law into their own hands, need to be made aware of this.
The people have failed to understand the reason for these arrests. Was it a facade to conceal their failures in nabbing criminals, or an attempt to please their bosses by diverting attention from their failures? It is the basic duty of the Police Department to find hooligans and miscreants who break the rules of the land, but in the name of nabbing hooligans and miscreants, they are not allowed to corner innocent communities. Police, first and foremost, need proper education and training in acting humbly with all citizens.Moreover, it was reported that most of the arrested youths were either college students or working people who did not have any criminal record, or even the inclination. Their only fault, if one so considers, was their long hairs and earrings. Surprisingly, the rounded up youths were forced to give their finger prints and photographs for police record, which is a gross violation of human rights. I think such irresponsible and whimsical actions need to be punished, and the victims should be compensated. The protests against these acts, carried out and supported by a large number of people, is commendable. Some people had challenged the police action by filing a Public Interest Litigation case, but unfortunately it was dismissed. The case needs to be filed again.
We have, at times, witnessed the police turning a deaf ear to hooligans. The police don’t ask miscreants to lower the volume of the music in party venues, which disturb neighboring houses where students might be studying or where old and sick people might be resting.
This is not only the first time the police have meted out such atrocities to citizens. Similar actions were launched in the past. Some people have opined that the action was taken just to tame some children of police officials who had long hair, wore earrings, and consumed drugs and alcohol.
There are several other public interest programs initiated by the police department which were never finished. For example, they took action against fraudulent taxi meters, which was a welcome initiative. However, as the action was not regularly monitored, fraudulent taxi meters appeared again.
People allege that the police carry out such initiatives until they accumulate a huge amount in fines, and then give up. For example, rules like compulsory helmet for pillion riders in motorbikes, seat belts in cars, categorized number plates in vehicles, usage of low beam lights while driving in cities, banning pressure horns among others were all implemented at one point but are hardly monitored these days. Why is over speeding not fined? Why are public vehicles allowed to stop and collect passengers at any place? Why are public vehicles allowed to carry more passengers than their stated capacity? And why are the attendants in public vehicles allowed to hang from the door with half of their bodies outside the moving vehicles? Even alcohol consumption tests for drivers were carried out forcefully for the first few months which have almost stopped now.
At a time when the overall image of Police Department has been tarnished by the implication of police chiefs, from Motilal Bohara down to Ramesh Chand Thakuri, in corruption cases pending in the court, the police administration needs to create a good image. To add insult to injury, Sudan scam has also damaged the police department’s reputation. To improve their tarnished image, the police department needs to give excellent service to the people. They must bear in mind that they are the servants of the people, not their masters. Providing safety and security to the people should be their priority, not creating fear among the people.
The author holds post-graduate degree from Delaware University, US
contactbibhav@gmail.com
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