Delhi CM, police chief should work in tandem
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Commissioner of Police BS Bassi are not the best of friends. But should they demonstrate their animosity in such a blatantly open fashion that they make a mockery of the dignity associated with people occupying high positions in public lifeIJ The latest slugfest between the two began after a survey conducted by CMS-India in collaboration with Transparency International rated Delhi Police as among the most corrupt departments. Mr Kejriwal was quick to pounce on the finding, boasting that he would clean up the force only if Delhi Police were to be handed over to his Government for a year. It was an immature remark, quite like the ones the Chief Minister has been making on various other issues concerning Centre-State relations, and law and order in the capital-State particularly. Mr Kejriwal's bravado should have been ignored by the police, as it deserved a political response at best. Unfortunately, Mr Bassi jumped into the fray by advising the Chief Minister to concentrate on his duty and leave the police to perform its job. On the face of it, the riposte is not off the mark. The Aam Aadmi Party regime has been facing enough problems in administration, with its time consumed more by confronting the Centre than in governing effectively. Worse, it has a bunch of MlAs who face the ire of law on various counts. Mr Bassi was referring to that when he bluntly remarked that “six Ministers in the AAP Government are facing a tough time fighting corruption charges against them. So, they have a lot of work to do”. Still, the Commissioner of Police ought not to have publicly upbraided the Chief Minister of a State. He must not forget that, all said and done, Mr Kejriwal has been elected by the people and represents them in the State. While there can be differences of opinion, they cannot be displayed in the public domain to ridicule each other. This is simply not done. Although law and order in Delhi is the responsibility of the Union Government, the State's Chief Minister and the police chief have to work in tandem to resolve matters that directly impact the lives of ordinary citizens. Instead, they are forever bickering.
There must be a check on outbursts from either end for tempers to subside. Mr Kejriwal and his team, both in the Government and the party, should learn to respect the police while retaining the right to criticise in a civil manner, without using the kind of derogatory language they have for the uniformed force in recent times. They need to also appreciate that just because Delhi Police does not (by provisions of the Constitution) come within the State Government's jurisdiction, the police does not automatically become an enemy of the State regime. It's true that the police's track record leaves much to be desired and there is a general sense of dismay over its performance. But flogging it incessantly is not the solution. On their part, Mr Bassi and his team should apply their minds on ways to battle corruption in the police force and make it more responsive to the people's grievances. The new cash reward initiative for citizens who help nab corrupt police personnel, is welcome, and so is the release of various Apps by Delhi Police to enhance its functioning.