A new ray of hope
Kiran Bedi recently launched a website in which victims of crime can lodge their complaint in case the local cops refuse to register the case, and the issue will be taken up at the police HQ of that state
One of the common complaints of people is the lack of response by authorities — particularly the police in handling crime. The victims of crime find that many a time the police do not register their complaint and follow-up action too may not be taken. Is there a way out? Apart from the initiatives taken by committed police officers, there does not seem to be much of a hope.
Kiran Bedi has been an outstanding police officer and emerged as an icon for girl students in schools and colleges all over the country. One of the initiatives taken by her recently came to my notice accidentally.
It seems she has started a website www.saferindia.com in which victims of crime can lodge their complaints in case the local police refuse to register the case. She will then take up the issue with the police headquarters of the concerned state. It appears that the courts have also decided to recognise printouts of such complaints in case there is any slip-up on the part of the state authorities.
This is indeed a remarkable initiative. Kiran Bedi true to her name has injected a ray of hope to light an important area of governance. Improvement in public governance will come only if we are able to make institutions of governance function effectively. Initiatives like the Right to Information Act and the eagerness shown by many NGOs in the area of human rights and fighting corruption are a welcome development in recent times. The initiative taken by Mrs Bedi to launch a website to take complaints about crimes is indeed a major step in using modern technology for the empowerment of citizens.
We have already seen the impact of the electronic media especially the 24×7 news channels. Improvements in telecommunication have helped expose scandals through sting operations, like the 11 Members of Parliament demanding bribes for asking questions in Parliament. In fact, the camera phone has empowered every citizen, if he is so inclined, to become a citizen journalist.
The initiative taken by Kiran Bedi (a retired police officer) indicates one more area where an initiative could be taken by at least one committed senior retired police officer in every state to launch a similar website. In this manner a culture of using technology to provide an alternative window for complaints and redressal of grievances will get a boost. This will go a long way in overcoming one of the recurring grievances of many citizens that many a time, the local police refuse to register the complaints and there is hardly any follow-up. Kiran Bedi’s website represents a simple step taken in a timely manner. This could create a new culture of empowerment of citizens. This may help to educate citizens about their rights and mobilise the institutions of governance in the right direction. This may help to counter the present general atmosphere of cynicism and helplessness.
Our public life is dominated by political parties, which are keen on the mindless pursuit of power without any values. They are increasingly dependent on muscle power and money power. There is no hope for any initiative for better governance from them — like action to check corruption or initiate legal proceedings against crime.
It is said that people get the government they deserve. If we feel that our public life today is full of corruption and people do not get justice, it is not enough to merely blame political leaders and the bureaucracy. Ultimately, the citizens have to become educated about their rights and assert themselves. This is generally done by NGOs, but sadly the element of synergy among them is missing. The website initiative of Kiran Bedi provides a model which can be emulated all over the country and add another dimension for redressal of grievances and improve governance.
In the last decade, N Vittal, the former CVC, emerged as the voice of our collective conscience. This is his weekly take on public life in India
Her website initiative can be emulated all over the country by retired police officers to improve governance