Uniform Police Act, complaints body mooted

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 15. A single uniform Police Act would be introduced, and a Police Complaints Authority would be set up besides a cell for rehabilitation of surrendered naxalites. This was announced by the Home Minister, Mr. T. Devender Goud, in his reply to the debate on the demands for the Home Ministry in the Assembly today.

Stating that he would not be a ``counsel'' for the Police Department to defend its actions, the Home Minister said there had been a number of complaints about rude behaviour of the police and that no respectful person was prepared to approach a police station for help. Keeping in view such grievances, the Police Complaints Authority would be an independent body and would not be under the control of the Director- General of Police. It would also look at the internal discipline among the personnel.

The Finance Minister, Mr. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, said the Government was caught in a piquant situation, with the expenditure growth rate of 20 per cent on pensions surpassing that of salaries (9 per cent) to serving employees. At this rate, in the year 2005, the expenditure on pension may far outstrip that on salaries, he said and wanted the members to come up with suggestions. This was one reason why despite the ban on recruitment and cuts in expenditure on establishment, it was not reflected in the overall spending.

Mr. Devendar Goud said the Government was not looking at extremism as a police problem alone. District Collectors were being made responsible for implementing the rehabilitation steps so that surrendered naxalites got quick relief. For a coordinated approach, rehabilitation cells will be set up at the State and the district levels, he added, and appealed to extremists to join the mainstream and use various democratic fora available to them.

He said it was for the first time that the Eleventh Finance Commission had earmarked Rs. 60 crores for a coordinated effort with other States for tackling extremism. The incidence of extremist violence had declined from 118 murders and 630 offences last year to 66 murders and 264 offences this year.

Mr. Goud said every year about 8000 persons were killed in accidents in the State, especially on highways. In order to check the rate of accidents, rush ambulance to the accident spot and conduct scientific studies on traffic both on highways and in cities, a ``road authority'' would be created. Road tax and fines imposed on traffic offences would be transferred to this authority.

Conceding that the atrocities against women had been going up, he said the number of family counselling centres would be increased. The strength of women constables would be raised. The police had been asked to register cases relating to atrocities against women promptly and pursue them vigorously.

He said it was because of the ``uncompromising'' stand of the Government to deal with those sparking off communal trouble that there was no single incident in the recent past. The Ganesh procession in the city, participated by five to six lakh people, passed off peacefully.

Referring to the bomb blasts in places of worship, the Minister said the police were able to track down a number of persons. In all, 45 followers of Deendar Anjuman had been arrested, 29 in Andhra Pradesh and 14 in Karnataka. Interrogation was going on. The swift action by the State Government was appreciated by the Central Government too. On the faction violence in Rayalaseema region, he said it was showing a downward trend with a series of steps taken by the Government.

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Section  : Southern States
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