The riots in England made big news all over the world. It was a sight to been seen how even in a first world country, things can go the third class way.
It also showed how a small group of bad people, opportunistic people coupled with greed, could wreck havoc on the rest of the community. But it also brought forth the importance of an effective Police force in the modern digitally hyper - connected and emotionally disconnected world.
Of course, initially they said that the British Police were too timid and did nothing. In hind sight, though that attitude of calm may have led to financial loss, had the Police used brutal force, communities would have been forever wounded.
They say when god is in trouble he calls for an Englishman; this is to say that the Englishman always has a solution for everything. But when there are riots, agitations and looting, god and even Englishmen are better off calling the Indian Policemen.
Yes, the Indian Police are specialists in riot control; it’s simple — beat the living daylights out of whoever or whatever comes in front of you. If that doesn’t work, then simply whip out a pistol and shoot. Like they did on farmers in Maharashtra on Tuesday and like they shot dead 12 students in Meghalaya a few years ago.
The fact is that the Indian Police can be very effective when they want to be. After all, how else do they manage to keep order in spite of having one of the least Police - people ratio in the world — just 126 cops per 1 lakh people. But their methods are extreme.
The British cops seem too cultured to handle uncultured and coordinated thugs. They carry only a baton and believe in community policing. Just like our cops do. They do not use guns or any form of force that is considered brutal, especially during the riots because they could end up harming the young men and women involved. But occasionally, our cops — Sub-Inspectors and above, and certain trained Constables — take aimless and irresponsible shots.
On the other extreme are the British who have become so docile that they have a “Police service” and not a “Police force.” It is not just a word intended to change perception. The sight of a British Policeman is not intimidating, instead you tend to respect them and appreciate their work like you do of a social worker. They don’t put that thought in you — “I dare not break the law” — with their overly dignified demeanor.
In contrast, the American Policeman looks intimidating. He is well - equipped and the sight of a gun by his side can do to a thug what a whip can do to a circus monkey. When an American cop tells you to “put your hands where I can see them,” you do exactly that. Even their tone is authoritative and confident, the kind one gets when they have a gun hanging off their waist with a license to shoot. But in a nation that sells guns to the public, this attitude is necessary.
Now in India, guns are easily accessible neither to the public nor to the Police, good. Because one may misuse it (even worse self - use it) or just don’t know how to use it.
Recently, a Policeman in north India, after his duty, went to a bar with his gun slung over his shoulder, got drunk and when people requested him to get out of the way, he started pointing his gun at the public! The other example is what happened at Maval taluk in Maharashtra where to disperse the protesting farmers, the Police instead of lathi - charging or firing in the air or below the knee, suddenly erupted with anger like in an action - packed Hindi movie and started shooting randomly. Yes, farmers died. Yes, there will be suspensions. But owning a gun and having the license to use it is a huge responsibility, and the accountability and punishment must match that.
Of course in India, gun culture was stemmed after the 1857 rebellion where an Indian was not allowed to own any weapon unless he was approved as a loyal servant by his British master. May be if this was not done, just maybe, we would have got our independence faster? Yes, there would have been blood but maybe we would have gained some much - needed extra democratic time and a decreased population to kick - start a young democracy.
Or who knows, maybe we would have shot at each other and the Indian peninsula would be full of linguistic nations which are sparsely populated, like a little Europe? However, it is good we don’t have easy access to arms in our country. For a people who are incapable of following basic traffic laws and filled with road rage, there is no doubt possession of arms is a bad idea.
That said, the Indian Police manage riots and agitations quite well. The reason for this is that most of the political agitations are just a show; in the sense that most of the volunteers do not completely believe in what they are protesting for or they are simply paid to be there. Such a crowd will throw a few stones and after getting a few beatings, will run home.
If true believers in a cause hold the protest, riots could become a revolution. And in a nation like India which is so large and so thickly “infested” with people, a riot in which every Indian is invested and believes in can turn into a mini - revolution. And that is exactly why Anna Hazare will not be allowed to fast at Jantar Mantar. Because if too many people come to support him, then the Police know that these people will not be easily chased away like Baba Ramdev’s devotees.
These people will be sincere and passionate about the cause. And when one finds a sincere cause with a grand end, an unprecedented courage germinates within oneself, the same kind of courage that got us freedom. But we fear our modern Indian Police will not be as considerate as the British, considering that of late they seem to have become trigger - happy.
Independence Day is almost here as we continue to live in a half - baked democracy with a well - cooked culture of corruption and so it is very easy to beat back protestors who, let alone an ideology, don’t even have an idea of what they are protesting. But in case you do, then beware, the men in khaki and white are only too ready to fight… may be even fire.
