‘We are providing the people with a police system that functions efficiently and impartially. The government considers this system an investment in building a better society and ensuring the safety of citizens’. These were the remarks made by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy at a recent meeting of the Coordination Committee of senior police officials from southern states, held in Hyderabad. The previous BRS government also made various promises in the name of ‘Friendly Policing’. However, it is necessary to examine whether the police system, which is responsible for protecting and safeguarding the people, has actually functioned in the same manner in undivided Andhra Pradesh and subsequently in Telangana, or whether it has instead supported ruling parties while trampling upon citizens’ rights.
The role of the police in building a better society is undeniably significant. Their contribution to controlling cybercrime, preventing drug trafficking, and reducing traffic problems cannot be overlooked. There is no doubt that every department is using advanced technology to curb criminal activities. It is also not wrong for the government to allocate substantial funds and spend generously on these efforts. However, using these objectives as a justification for exercising high-handedness against the public is certainly unacceptable. During the electricity agitation in undivided Andhra Pradesh, the subsequent land struggles, the Anganwadi workers protests, and several other movements, police officials acting under the direction of the government subjected people to severe repression. Many people lost their lives in these incidents. After the formation of Telangana, we witnessed the Nereducherla incident during the tenure of the BRS chief, who repeatedly claimed that his party had established a ‘Friendly Policing’ system. Innocent people who were subjected to third-degree torture during that incident have still not been able to return to normal life. The Congress party, which had supported the electricity agitation in undivided Andhra Pradesh, is now in power in Telangana. Meanwhile, protests against the anti-people policies of both the Central and State governments are gaining momentum.
Students are taking to the streets demanding fee reimbursement and scholarships. Young people are protesting for employment opportunities. Women are raising their voices for safety and security in society. Farmers are demanding remunerative prices for their produce, while ordinary citizens are seeking relief from the ever-increasing burden of rising prices. It is the responsibility of those in power to examine and address the grievances and demands of all these sections of society. It is deeply concerning, however, that the situation continues to unfold in a manner contrary to these expectations. Placing political leaders under house arrest, attempting to suppress agitations, and ignoring public protests are in no way good for Telangana. At present, the Modi government at the Centre is mounting a serious attack on the Constitution, democracy, and the rights of the people. In this context, the Congress party has a grave responsibility to fulfil, both as the principal opposition party in Parliament and as the largest party in the INDIA alliance.
The Congress must join hands with intellectuals, democrats, and the public to launch a large-scale struggle against the Central government. The Congress government in Telangana must also play its part in this endeavour. To achieve this, it must establish and nurture a genuinely democratic atmosphere in the state. The government must acknowledge the fundamental truth that the stronger the opposition, the stronger the democracy, and lay the foundations for an environment in which people can exercise their freedoms without fear. Instead, detaining political leaders in districts during the Chief Minister’s visits and preventing labour union leaders from leaving their homes renders the very concept of a ‘People’s Government’ meaningless.
Therefore, the government must not limit itself to making statements and discussing various issues in committees and meetings. It must demonstrate its commitments through concrete action. Only then will the people place their trust in the government. This is our considered opinion.