Netagiri again

Netagiri again

Transfer of courageous UP cop Shreshtha Thakur sends the wrong message.
A woman cop standing up to power in Uttar Pradesh is summarily given transfer orders: this is how we enforce the law in India. Is it any surprise then that the law isn't taken seriously and lawlessness prevails in UP and other states?
The UP government's decision to transfer Shreshtha Thakur, circle officer in Bulandshahr district, to the remote district of Bahraich is a deplorable one that sends all the wrong signals. The 34-year-old police officer earned widespread praise for standing up to a group of unruly BJP workers and sending five of them to jail for breaking the law. On June 22, Thakur and her team stopped Pramod Lodhi, a local BJP worker, for not wearing a helmet while driving a motorbike. He was joined by his supporters who misbehaved and obstructed her in carrying out her duties.
Thakur refused to budge. Local BJP leaders made this a prestige issue and a delegation of party MLAs and MPs even met chief minister Yogi Adityanath demanding action against her, which soon followed.
The incident has highlighted the need for urgent police reforms where they are respected as independent professionals playing an important role in society, rather than as a force playing second fiddle to local political heavyweights. Else only VIP protection will get priority and lawlessness will prevail in the rest of society . Adityanath was elected to change this state of affairs, and he must not forget this. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attempted to shake up India's culture of VIP privilege by abolishing red beacons on their vehicles. However, to really dent VIP privilege it is necessary to do away with the most important perk of politicians in power: the right to command policemen as minions to do their bidding.