Policing the watchdogs
-Article on SNS in Business Standard by Geetanjali Krishna

"They wield the stick - obviously the law is on their side," said one of the slum dwellers attending a series of legal awareness workshops organized by SNS to enlighten citizens about their rights. This particular workshop was related to peoples’ rights vis-à-vis the police. "I didn't know we had any rights!" said a participant to the workshop coordinator, Seema - a volunteer of SNS and a lawyer by profession.

Seema began by showing everyone a film on the subject. She stressed the point that the police often ill-treat the illiterate slum dwellers, assuming that they don't know the law. "That is why being educated about how the police is supposed to act, can be of prime importance," said she. The first thing she said seemed obvious: no policeman can do anything without full papers of authority. "They can neither forcibly take anyone for questioning, nor can they enter your homes, without warrants," she said. The audience reactions ranged from disbelief to anger. It was clear that the slum dwellers hadn't ever seen the policemen on their beat follow this rule. "Growing up in a slum, one of the commonest sights is of a policeman, swaggering through the narrow lanes, stick in hand, threatening to destroy all the illegal constructions," said one bitterly. The lawyer emphasized that the police had no authority to demolish slums. At best, they are empowered to accompany the MCD, to prevent anticipated violence.

The police, further, had no authority to pronounce judgment on anyone nor are they supposed to interrogate or arrest any member of public unless they are in full uniform, with their nametags clearly visible. To the utter disbelief of the audience, she informed them that the police had no authority, to use physical violence. "But our beat constable never talks to us without using his stick!" exclaimed one slum dweller. A woman said that the constable often hit women as well: "just yesterday, when my neighbour and I went late at night to use the toilet, he asked us what we were doing outside at that hour. We were too embarrassed to reply immediately, but had to, when he began raining blows on us." Everybody in the audience seemed to have an experience to share, but Ashok's took the cake. "When a neighbour's son was taken into custody in a robbery case, the police told his father that he was in `remand'. And that, he was told, meant that the police could beat the accused as much as they liked!" Seema sighed, "our legal system is known internationally as being just and democratic - but its upholders need to be made accountable first, before it can benefit people. One of the most important ways to do that if people themselves can question the government using the right to information laws – our next workshop will focus on how citizens can use their right to information."