Director General of Police (DGP) Kailash Makwana’s recent order directing Madhya Pradesh police personnel to compulsorily salute Members of Parliament (MPs),
Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and ministers has come under heavy fire from political leaders across party lines, who termed it “redundant,” “unnecessary,” and “detrimental to impartial policing.”
Strongly reacting to the directive, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar pointed out that formal protocols regarding respect and conduct towards elected representatives have long been established in the state’s administrative guidelines. “There is no novelty in saluting an MLA or an MP — it is already part of the standard government protocol,” Singhar said. “Issuing such a directive at this point serves no purpose other than to reinforce a feudal mindset. Governance is about service, not subservience.”
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari went further, warning that such orders compromise the integrity of the police force. “When a ruling party MLA storms into a police station to shield his supporter, and the officer is forced to salute him first, how can people expect fair and unbiased action? This directive is a direct assault on the principle of neutrality in policing,” Patwari stated.
Historically, the All India Services (Conduct) Rules and various administrative protocols have always ensured that government officials maintain decorum with elected representatives — but without undermining the independence and objectivity of their duties. Critics argue that reiterating such basic courtesies through formal directives dilutes the
spirit of democratic accountability and pushes the police force into a posture of
political subservience.
Interestingly, unease over the directive is visible even within the ruling BJP. A senior BJP leader, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State Secretary Rajneesh Agrawal said, “An MLA is a people’s representative, not a feudal lord. “Instead of ordering salutes, police officers should be directed to act swiftly on public
complaints routed through MLAs. A salute without action means nothing to the citizens.”
Political observers have also pointed out that previous attempts to overemphasize ceremonial respect have often backfired, eroding public trust in administrative fairness. In fact, the 2015 controversy surrounding a similar protocol advisory in another BJP-ruled state had sparked a nationwide debate on whether elected representatives should seek reverence or results.
At a time when policing needs to be seen as professional, independent, and people-centric, the latest directive risks sending the opposite message — that symbolism matters more than service.
Both Congress and many BJP leaders agree: in a democracy, respect must come from efficiency and justice, not from forced rituals.