B.RAMAN
Two points need quick action in the wake of the
gang-rape in New Delhi on December 16,2012.
2. The first is the removal of the Commissioner of
Police of Delhi and his replacement by a competent officer from outside the
Delhi cadre of the Indian Police Service.
3. Shri Neeraj Kumar, the present Commissioner of
Police, has shown neither leadership nor signs of concern and shame over the
failure of his force to protect women from crime and respond energetically to
follow-up action after the rape of Braveheart. Moreover, under his command and
control, the police force failed to show sensitivity and sophistication in
dealing with thousands of young people who spontaneously protested against the
rape.
4.In his various interactions with the public and
the media after the gang-rape, one did not notice the remotest sign of
contrition in him.One has been shocked and filled with indignation over the allegations
that the Delhi Police led by him has been trying to harass a TV channel for
telecasting an interview with the friend of Braveheart.
5.If he continues as the Commissioner of Police,
one can neither expect a thorough enquiry into the deficiencies of the police
in connection with the gang-rape nor vigorous action to improve the future
capability of the Police to protect women against crime. An officer, who is so
smug and satisfied about his performance and that of his force,cannot be
expected to act vigorously.
6.It is, therefore, important that he should be
replaced immediately by a competent officer from outside the Delhi IPS cadre,
who can be entrusted with the responsibility for revamping the police force and
improving its interactions with the public and the media.
7. The second point requiring urgent action is the
examination of existing laws relating to the involvement of juveniles in crimes
against women, particularly rape. Laws relating to juveniles give them the
benefit of lenient treatment under the presumption that as juveniles they might
not have been able to understand the gravity and consequences of their
participation in crime.
8. One can understand such leniency in the case of
juveniles involved in crimes like pocket-picking, theft, robbery, letting
themselves be used for murder etc, but
the benefit should not be extended to juveniles participating in the sadistic
rape of a woman.
9. One of the accused in the gang-rape case is a
juvenile, who allegedly raped the Braveheart twice and then caused severe
injuries to her intestines through a metal rod. How can he be described as
incapable of understanding the gravity and consequences of his action?
10. Rapes should be exempted from the leniency
provisions for juvenile criminals. They should be treated with the same
severity as adults.
11. Law does not permit retrospective enactments to
enhance punishment. The juvenile
involved in the gang-rape cannot normally be covered under any new laws.
12.Public opinion will find it difficult to accept
that he should be treated leniently under the existing laws despite his acts of
unheard of bestiality against Braveheart. Justice to her demands that he should
be treated on par with the other
accused.
13. How to do so? This question must be referred as
a specific term of reference to one of the commissions set up by the Government
to go into the gang-rape---- possibly to the Justice Verma Commission. (
5-1-13)
( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com .Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )
2 comments:
Raman Sir,
You are absolutely correct in suggesting the removal of the Delhi police Commissioner for reasons given in your blog (Para 1 to 6).Wish someone in authority would read your blog.
Pleasse tweet these two points for more people to know.
The shameless DP says they kept friend of Jyoti to help them for more than four days
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