The speech of a CRPF woman constable Khushboo Chauhan has become ‘viral’ on social media after she spoke against all the human rights defender and felt that our constitution only ‘defends’ and ‘protect’ the anti-national.
The ‘sadak
chaap’ Sanghi channels and their cheer leaders have jumped on the speech
terming it that CRPF put the ‘country’ first. The degradation of our media is
complete. It used to pretend a quality media earlier but now it is complete
exposed. The owners have also shown their true casteist colour as they continue
to encourage such reporters who would not have qualified in any print or
electronic channel if they really believe in journalism or quality reporting.
They have become now a virus, a disease which has endangered our democracy and
our plural cultural heritage.
The age
of Bania media has arrived truly and those who are working there are not
journalists who can question the state and the government but they denigrate,
humiliate the opposition and dissenters.
Now, the aim
is to finish everything which is surviving in the name of opposition so that
they can rule the country by hook or by crook.
While the
young constable’s debating skills are good for her promotion and the atmosphere
being created, it is essential for those who run the show to understand that by
denigrating the issues of human rights and rights of individuals
as being anti national, the agency would do no better. I felt proud of CRPF
when after the Pulwama attack they issued statement to the countrymen to beware
of forces who were targeting Kashmiri students. CRPF started a special help
line to help the Kashmiri students and we all felt proud of the force and its
officers.
Forces
need to be professional.
Any force
which become religious blind are going to harm themselves. You may disagree
with any one or even hate in personal life though hate does not work, it destroys
to those only who suffer from it, yet as a force, you can’t be like this.
Suppose, Kanhaiya Kumar become minister tomorrow or the young constable is
asked to guard Kashmiri leaders who are behind the bar, what will she do. Will
she continue to live in hatred against them or resign from the job.
Should we
allow our Jawans to be in such a perpetual hatred? If that happen, it would be
difficult for them to understand their professional duties.
It is true
that CRPF Jawans live in the most stressful conditions. Much worse than the
armed forces because the armed forces have better service conditions.
CRPF is
always on the move, from this part to that part. Their families live in tension
as the facilities are not great.
A Jawan
who die on duty is officially not a ‘Shaheed’, though media might hype it. Bringing law and order to normalcy
or travelling to Naxal areas one day and moving to another different locations
put them in real risk. Their service conditions need to be improved.
It is
important that all the members of the forces must go through training of
respecting law and constitution. We don’t know how much. A citizen does not ask
more than. We are not asking them to read the UN charters, covenants or other
treaties but just several important aspects of our constitution particularly
fundamental rights and duties of the state. Good that they have political
understanding but there is no meaning of such political understanding which
believes in rhetoric. And this is the danger.
The way media has encouraged it and promoted has potential danger of putting the men and women in uniform to temptation of competitive negativity.
Can you
imagine such talks in any of the human rights forum internationally? If the
NHRC organises a thing or even the forces themselves, I am sure, they have many
officers who have better understanding of human rights. You don’t decry the
court for ‘defending’ the people or allowing the people the opportunity.
The men in
Uniform will realise that their duty is to uphold the law of the land
impartially and not become part of a campaign. Forces are not here to do
justice. The process lies with judiciary.
Forces
are to protect people and not merely the ruling party politicians.
In plural
societies or diverse country like ours, forces need to be taught about the sensitivities
of regions, religions, ethnicity, languages etc. And for that, it is equally
important that all the forces and organs of the government must have fair
representation of India’s diversity whether religious, regional or ethnic.
Forces should
start some courses with in their units to educate their Jawans
Good that
our new young in the uniform are talking about issues but it is important that
the forces start some courses with in their units to educate them. The crisis
of CRPF and other like them is the difficulties that their jawans and officers
face, their mental pressure which they face living far away from their families
and difficult terrains but also of lack of enough facilities in comparison to
other forces. The Jawans need all kind of education including things that
make them stress free. sloganeering will not help at all.
Vidya
Bhushan Rawat
October 7th, 2019
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