Nagpur: “Safety and security and law and order are the subjects very near to hearts of citizens, and a State subject, too. A Government is responsible for safety and security of citizens and maintaining law and order situation. However, the crime rate in Maharashtra is growing and growing and would not come down until the Government is in hands of able rulers. The law and order situation is passing through the worst phase. The Government, led by Congress-NCP since the past 15 years, remained a mute spectator when safety and security of citizens lay in peril. Throughout these 15 years, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph,” says the Vision Maharashtra Document of Bharatiya Janata Party released in view of October 15 Assembly election.
State BJP President Devendra Fadnavis, elaborating on highlights of Vision Document, aptly said, “There is a huge difference between being tolerant and tolerating intolerance. Not a single soul is feeling safe and secure following precarious law and order situation prevailing in Maharashtra. All kinds of crimes are reigning supreme and criminals are ruling the roost without an iota of fear or respect to law enforcement agencies. The pathetic attitude of the rulers is adding salt to citizens’ injuries,” said Fadnavis.
Quoting Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar as saying ““Law and order are the medicine of the politic body and when the politic body gets sick, medicine must be administered,” Fadnavis declared that the BJP’s Vision Maharashtra has an effective medicine to improve law and order situation in the State in the form of various measures.
The “Vision” dealt on following aspects:
Present Situation – Alarming:
- The Police Force was started by the British in 1861 to provide protection to their own Government and functioning.
- This key objective needs to change now. The police are for the people and not for the rulers.
- Crime prosecution rate in Maharashtra is only 9%.
- Improper investigation/manipulated panchnamas and lack of sincerity in preparing witnesses have led to this situation.
- Lack of forensic evidence, quality of public prosecutors and the effectiveness of the judiciary. No evaluation and introspection.
Basic changes:
- Will implement directives of the Supreme Court and amend Police Laws.
- Police department to be bifurcated into a) Investigation Wing b) Law and Order Wing.
- Criminal prosecution rate to be at 50% in three years.
- Convicts will undergo severe trial in the fastest possible time.
- Forensic Laboratory to be established in every district.
- Crime records to be digitized.
Responsibilities:
- Judiciary to be revamped, completely digitized and technology to be used across all aspects. Number of Fast Track courts to be increased.
- Will setup a process to compile Court Case Results in form of a Monthly review report of Judges who preside over these cases. This report will be submitted to the High Court.
- Will make it mandatory to submit specifics viz.
- How many days the trial lasted
- How many arguments for/against
- All people involved in these arguments
- other objective details, for every case on closure.
- Trimonthly performance review of all public lawyers to be sent directly to Government through a computerized evaluation method.
- “Right to Know Law” – will be implemented in spirit to empower citizens across the state.
- Will launch an initiative to address complex and protracted legal cases with High Court’s intervention.
Strong and swift:
- Police Department to be modernized. Will be provided with Advanced Technology Systems/ Modern Weapons/ Modern Detection Systems and Integrated Crime prevention and Citizen Protection Training.
- Will initiate necessary amendments/changes in the law to help address Cyber crimes and other Online financial frauds.
- Along with Mumbai City, District Headquarters of Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad and Amravati will be brought under CCTV Surveillance system within a year.
- Every single Police station to have CCTV coverage/ Police Training Academy will be improved and capacity increased.
- “Hi-tech Police Force” to be established across the state. Every Police station to be Computerized, Digitilized and connected.
Technology interventions:
- Every Police Station to have an “e-FIR” system installed. A digital receipt to be generated for every FIR received and sent to the applicant. (Supreme Court’s Directive: Every Complaint needs to registered as an FIR).
- “e-Challan” system for Traffic police across the State.
- Process of filing an “FIR” to be made simpler and made available online. Mobile Apps will be made to improve reach and ease of use.
- Key cities to have CCTV at every major junction/point, will empower Traffic department to improve driving/vehicular discipline.
- Women’s security will be a priority. Every district will have a Women’s Police Station.
Reforms through proper planning:
- Police Recruitment, Promotion, Transfer will be merit/need based. Political interference in police functioning will come to an end.
- Will make appropriate changes in State’s development plan to ensure proper and hygienic housing for the Police Force.
- Will initiate special plan for the overall wellbeing of the Police Force including Mental and Physical Fitness, Training, Working Hours and improvement of standard of living.
- Will consider special waivers in the Development Control Regulations.
- Proper planning to ensure basic facilities/technology and manpower development.Will hasten approval process.
- Sharing of District Best practices across the board and implementation of the same at State level.
Strategic changes:
- One Officer to be appointed at every district to help coordinate between Crime, Forensic, Cyber Cell and Intelligence wings of the District.
- Satellite based advanced surveillance system will be developed to monitor Naxal activities in the State.
- Anti Corruption Bureau will be further empowered and will be given under the ”Lokayukta”.
- In case of corruption against a Government Officer or a Politician, if there is evidence available in the primary FIR then there will be no need for additional permission from the Government to proceed for prosecution.
- Every Police station to have Legal advisors and Counsellors. Social Workers, “Friends of Police” will be connected with Police Stations.
- Will endure to create Crime-Free Maharashtra.
