Policing must change, say Antony, Dikshit

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Wednesday called for police reforms to make the force responsive and to win the trust of the people.

"Police reforms are the real need of the hour," Antony said in a message to the organisers of a meeting here on police reforms convened by former CBI director D.R. Kaarthikeyan.

"Our policing system must change to be more sensitive and responsible to the people," he added. Saying police reforms ought to be an integral part of good governance, Antony said the police must win the trust of the people through more and more accountability.

In her message, Dikshit said people at large had come to realize that "police should be more responsible, proactive and sensitive in order to ensure a sense of security and confidence".

Referring to the Dec 16 gang-rape of a young woman in Delhi, she said the outrage "has also made both the public and the government to join heads together to have fruitful interaction in this regard".

She demanded that proper attention be given on training to improve professionalism in police forces and to enhance operational efficiency.

It is all very well for the above two personalities to talk of Policing changes.

But the first change should be that the police be made free of political interference.

Will they do that?

The party in power depends on the police, CBI, ED, IT departments to smother dissent from opposition political parties.

See how it has used these tools against Mayawati and Mulayam Singh.

If they truly want the police to work, it should be made independent like the Judiciary and the Election commission.

That the government will never allow.