Forwarded message

Brutal lathi charge

Editorial
Free Press Journal
Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Even the chief minister had to admit it. From what he saw
on TV, the Mumbai police used brutal force on the
striking junior doctors and medical students for holding
a protest satyagraha near Raj Bhavan. The beating was so
merciless that policemen seemed to attack the doctors to
settle some old scores.

Those doctors and students who had fallen were beaten so
brutallyagain and again on their legs and hands that they
could not get up. Seldom has the city witnessed such
revengeful use of force on a section of the community who
is the mainstay of all sections of citizenry in an
emergency.

An all-India strike of the medical fraternity has been
called. There may be a virtual shutdown of medical
services in Mumbai and Delhi. Delhi doctors are planning
to go on an indefinite hunger strike.

All because two dozen policemen were let loose and
allowed to take law into their own hands in Mumbai. The
city police Commissioner cuts a pathetic figure. He has
admitted that his men have beaten up the medicos without
any orders from any ranking police officer.

And yet he has the cheek to defend his brutally erring
men. He argues that the doctors provoked his men. In what
way, Mr. Commissioner? Some policemen think that doctors
came for the protest meeting armed with pain killers. Can
preposterousness go to this level?

The Commissioner's grouse is that the doctors did not
seek his permission before they went on Satyagraha. Which
police chief would give the doctors permission especially
when they want to hold their demonstration near the Raj
Bhavan? Some patient and persuasive officer could have
easily handled the situation without raining lathi blows
on the doctors. On such occasions political leadership is
conspicuous by its absence.

Of course this is an issue on which the state government
cannot give any assurance to the protesting doctors. Even
so, some polite and humane gestures would have avoided
the brutal beating. The chief minister has ordered an
enquiry. Of all the people, by the Police Commissioner.
It is the cruellest joke ever played on a group of
complainants.

The police commissioner has stoutly defended his men,
although they had no orders to use their lathis. What new
findings will the Commissioner come up with, if his mind
is already made up. Here is a case of the defendant being
asked to play the neutral umpire. It is not common sense
to expect that the doctors will get justice from the
enquiry officer whose primary duty is to defend the
police force.

Even so, an experienced chief minister like Vilasrao
Deshmukh does not see any anomaly in appointing the
Commissioner as the enquiry officer. This is adding
insult to injury. The chief minister has said that
"excessive force" was used by the police. Will the
expression find a mention in the Commissioner's report?

End of forwarded message

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