Former Police officers too have reservations about the Police Bill-2013 Government must take people on board: Ashok Bhan and Watali

5 Dariya News (Tariq Bhat)

Srinagar 28-Feb-2013

After public outcry, former Police officers have also shown their reservations about the Police Bill-2013. Former Director General of Police Ashok Bhan and Deputy Inspector General, Ali Mohammad Watali have suggested to the Government to constitute a team comprised of men of integrity who could revisit the draft and make it people friendly.“Once Police Bill 2013 will be passed, it will exist at least for a century. Such laws are not made after every five years so there is a need to make such laws which should be people friendly,” former DGP, Ashok Bhan told 5dariyanews and added that Government must understand that people show resentment only when they feel that this bill is not going to favour them, so Government must take steps to ensure that Police Bill-2013 should be over all people friendly.“Let the Government constitute a team of six or seven members known for their integrity and honesty. Let these people from politics, judiciary, police, civil society and let them work freely in collaboration to re-draft this police-bill,” Bhan said and added government must listen to people and should not hurt their sentiments.

Former Director General of Police said that let government allow people to identify the areas which they wish to alter or rescind. “After all people are the ultimate source of power. People should not feel that this Bill has been prepared to suppress them, contrary the Bill should be people friendly that they should applaud it and willingly accept it,” Ashok Bhan said.Ashok admitted that suggestions were sought from him by the government; however he made it clear that he was not a part of the team when this Bill was finalized.

Meanwhile, admitting that Police Bill-2013 contains certain clauses which can be termed as anti-people and vehemently needs to be re-drafted, former Deputy Inspector General Ali Mohammad Watali Wednesday said that if Government intends to empower police force in a great way then it should also make it clear what safe-guards the bill provides to the people.

“Overall it is not anti-people but yes, there are certain clauses which can be termed as totally anti-people and such clauses need to be re-drafted. It is the duty of the Journalists to highlight the pros and cones of the bill and make people aware about its ill-effects,” Watali told Srinagar based news agency 5dariyanews and added that this bill intends to regulate the police force in a better way.

He said that most of the people have not gone through the draft and they talk what they read in news papers about the bill. “Newspapers must make people aware about the contents of Police Bill-2013 so that public opinion can be gained. The bill is subject to discussion and media can play a pivotal rule in this regard,” he said.

Former Deputy Inspector General Ali Mohammad Watali said that he has gone through the bill properly and he feels it is not anti-people as it has been projected, however he maintained that there are certain clauses in the bill which he feels are totally pro-police and against the interest of the people. “Such clauses need to be redrafted. Discussion and debates can help us to reach at the conclusion but media has to play its role and it should make people aware about the contents of the bill so that their opinion could be taken into account before it is legalized,” Watali said and made it clear that he was not a part of the team which had framed the Police Bill-2013.

When asked that some clauses reveal that scribes are supposed to disclose their sources, Watali said that it is a myth. “It is conventional that scribes can’t be forced to reveal their sources. If it is so then we must learn about the safeguards as well. Any law which empowers police also suggests safeguards for the people,” he said.