Not Above Us All

Public anger — against the perceived ineptitude, pettiness, and failure of our political class — brimmed over when Mumbai was savagely attacked last week. The outpouring of angry messages and public demonstrations suggest that the citizens of this country might finally be fed up of just picking up the pieces and moving on, till the next bout of terrorist brutality rips apart their homes and lives all over again. The vociferous demands for accountability being made by citizens from the political class are understandable, given the circumstances. 

The attacks only ignited a long-simmering resentment among the citizenry about the deportment of its elected representatives and public officials. It is the attitude of the ruling class — bureaucracy and judiciary included — that gets to our people. The attitude that somehow — by virtue of being elected to Parliament, promoted to the top of the bureaucratic heap or elevated to the highest benches of the judiciary — they are above the rest. It betrays a colonial hangover and has no place in a democratic republic. 

The power play manifests itself most visibly in the security arrangements provided to the so-called VIPs. An unjustifiable number of people are designated as VIPs and VVIPs in this country, and are provided with an army of security personnel to protect them round the clock. For instance, in Delhi alone, about 14,000 police personnel are assigned to VIP duty, apart from special security forces like the National Security Guard (NSG) and Special Protection Group (SPG). The problem is acute in Delhi because it is the national capital, but this is a pan-Indian phenomenon. This, when police forces in many states are understaffed. 

Precious resources — of men and money — are spent on protecting those who face no reasonable threat, at the cost of stretching out security apparatus, putting the nation’s safety at risk. For instance, the ‘rangers’ arm of the NSG is mainly devoted to VIP duty. Our elite forces must have a single brief so that their efficiency is maximised. Instead, we have a ludicrous situation where ex-PMs and other no-so-vulnerable individuals — for instance, Amar Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi — are protected by the NSG. There are a few public officials — like the PM, president, home and defence ministers and the chief justice — who need solid security cover. The rest must promptly be stripped of their VIP status and accompanying security paraphernalia. If their safety is at stake, let them — not the taxpayers — pick up the tab.

TIMES OF INDIA

5th DEc, 2008