“Avoid Them” or “Buy Them”!

India’s General Elections 2014 are nearing soon. Being a democracy, elections in India have always been clash of several “Ideas of India” and perspectives. To gather larger vote share, leaders and political parties are harping upon the following major agendas – Economic reforms, Social Reforms, Governance and Corruption! Seeing the trend, Economic reforms and Governance agendas, have mesmerized “The Urban India”. And hence they had been flocking behind the leader, who will lead India to the Promised Land.

As I see it, there are two agendas which are of supreme importance to India, and nobody seems to be discussing them even a bit. I would like to hear more from our politicians on “Police Reforms and Judicial Reforms”. If India seek an inclusive growth and a high rating on human development index, these two reforms should be on a high-priority list. “The Other India”, “The Bharat”, demands these reforms, but nobody cares to heed them. For a commoner, living in “The Other India”, equality and justice are of more significance than outsourced jobs and fancy growth rates !

Indian Police system in India, still works on an outdated colonialist act, legislated in 1861 when India was under British Empire. Police, today, are considered, as “Uniformed Goon”! It is publicly perceived that Indian Police is there for the affluent sections of the society. Common men feels dreaded in interacting with Indian Police, and usually dodge any possibility of facing them.

Policemen are public servants, who should emerge as support system of the society. I would prefer a two pronged Police System, with one, polished and milder form of Police, with a front-ending role of law-enforcement and managing public relations to keep peace and order. And the second, the tougher and stricter form of Police, for investigating and discovering the perpetrators of crime and ensuring successful prosecutions.

Similar, is the scenario, in the Indian Judiciary. Judiciary in India is marred with stretched and complex procedures, fallible judges/prosecutors/executives, and ever-delayed justice. Police and Judicial reforms will help creating a safer and an impartial India, transposing its benefits to the Indian Economy, Social Justice, superior Governance and lesser Corruption.

Future Parliamentarians, are you listening?