Casteism, corruption are tainting khaki

WHICH is the greater evil in a democracy — communalism or corruption? That was the question which concerned Indians asked themselves when they wended their way to polling booths during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Is casteism worse than these two? That question needs to be added.

The Haryana government is at its wits’ end over two cases of suicide by policemen — Inspector General (IG) Y Puran Kumar and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar.

Puran Kumar, an IPS officer, was a Dalit. His wife, an IAS officer, gave her consent for a post-mortem examination only after receiving an assurance that a fair probe would be conducted and action taken against ‘erring’ officials. In his ‘final note’, Puran Kumar accused eight fellow officers of caste-based discrimination, mental harassment and public humiliation. His grouse was that he was tormented by his ‘big boss’ (state DGP) and a junior officer, besides others, because he belonged to a Scheduled Caste (SC).

Just a week after this incident, ASI Sandeep Kumar shot himself in Rohtak. In a note and a video that he left behind, he levelled corruption allegations against Puran Kumar, who had served in Rohtak district. He also alleged that during Puran Kumar’s tenure, the transfers of employees posted at the IG’s office were made keeping caste into consideration. Even as both cases are being probed, any seasoned cop will conclude that corruption and casteism are intertwined in the police force.

It is true that Jats and Dalits have always had a troubled relationship in Haryana. The relations between Marathas and Dalits in Maharashtra are also strained, though not as starkly as in Haryana and other Hindi-speaking states. (This perception is based on talks with friends in the IPS).

My own experience with SC officers who served with me in Maharashtra and Punjab has been that they are no different from those from privileged castes. There are good, bad and ‘indifferent’ officers belonging to every caste. Also, there are honest and dishonest officers of every caste. The police chief has to get the best out of each of them.

A ganglord named Varadarajan Mudaliar called the shots in the bootlegging trade in Mumbai (then known as Bombay) in the late 1970s and early 1980s. When I took charge as the Commissioner of Police in 1982, I asked for an officer named YC Pawar to be posted there from the Railways. He was an SC officer, but that was certainly not the reason for my request. It was his ability and his willingness to use that ability to deal with those who ruled the underworld that influenced my decision.

Pawar did not disappoint me. He performed a Herculean task with precision and in his own inimitable way. He had a loud voice and he used it to his advantage. Some of his glory rubbed off on me and I was pleased as punch for making a correct choice.

A perennial problem that dogs the armed branch of the police is alcoholism and lack of parental control over cops’ children. Kids living in the Police Lines tend to become school dropouts because their fathers are on prolonged spells of guard duty. The pressure from the political bosses for round-the-clock protection has become so acute that personnel on duty are often not relieved for days together, leading to an extended absence of the head of the family.

I chose a young IPS officer to head the armed branch, which was considered as a “punishment posting” (I learnt later that he belonged to a Scheduled Caste). The imperative of looking after the welfare and morale of these men who felt neglected was of prime importance to me, and I explained to the officer why I had chosen him for this assignment. Again, my choice was spot-on.

The 12.5 per cent reservation (later raised to 15 per cent) for SCs in government jobs and admissions was a “mea culpa” response to centuries of injustice to which those excluded from the Varna system were subjected.

However, the extension of reservation to vacancies in the higher ranks led to widespread dissatisfaction in the police force. When young sub-inspectors trained by inspectors were promoted to the rank of inspector and further as assistant commissioner to meet the quota requirement, experienced and competent inspectors refrained from greeting their new bosses, as demanded by discipline and protocol. Much of the corruption and indiscipline can be attributed to populist measures which were not properly thought through.

Money and greed are the reigning deities in government departments of various states. Narendra Modi rode to power in 2014 on the promise of eradicating the menace of corruption. However, he has been so busy trying to win every election in this vast country that corruption remains prevalent at the cutting edge of governance. And since it is the common citizen who bears the brunt of deep-rooted graft, the remedy is the one most easily available at hand — distribute freebies from depleted coffers just before elections are announced to win over the disgruntled poor people.

Dealing with age-old societal wrongs is a burden our political leaders must learn to bear. The two suicides in Haryana will severely test the mettle of the state leadership.