When I think of the police, I feel no fear, not because I think they will help me get justice when needed. I don’t fear them because I see no reason to be afraid of them. They are public servants, assigned to do their duty and to help us get justice.
We have given them this power to frighten us by thinking that they can do anything because of the position they are in. The day we stop being scared of them is the day they will lose the power to scare us. And there are men and women in the police who still respect their jobs and will do anything and everything to help you in time of need. I am not afraid of approaching the police if I want to report a crime. Because I know how to get my point across to them. If they don’t pay heed to our complaints, we have every right to take strict action against them and we should. We may have to struggle and go through a lot of stress to achieve this, but we should never back out. Only then can change happen.
We blame the police for being corrupt. But, who is really responsible for their being corrupt? When they ask us for bribes, isn’t it our fault that we agree to give it? We will always have people advising us – Paise khilado, kaam jaldi ho jaayega. Why can’t you go straight and honest way to get legal work done, even if it takes longer? We defend their rights to take bribes saying they are paid not well.
Here are the pay structures of a constable and IPS officers:
Constable:
pay scale for the position of Constables, who are coming under pay brand 1 is Rs. 5200-20200 in addition to grade pay of Rs. 2000. Candidates will be paid all admissible allowances, which includes free leave passes, free accommodation, free uniform, medical assistance and ration allowance.
For IPS officers, please do visit the below link to view the salaries offered to them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Police_Service
Over and above the salaries mentioned in the link, they also get all admissible allowances, which includes free leave passes, free accommodation, free uniform, medical assistance and ration allowance.
My father served in the army for 28 years. When he took voluntary retirement, he was a Brigadier with a salary of only Rs. 9000 per month.
He also would get free accomodation, free rations, free medical assistance, leave passes. The rations we would get would normally be inedible. Yet, inspite of all the hardships we faced, the only memory I carry is the feeling of pride that my father was a honest man who never took one paise that did not rightfully belong to him.
These are people who protect the borders of our country everyday. In all the years that I spent in army life, I saw only brave men who gave their heart and soul, sacrificed everything to protect our motherland. In my entire life spent in army, there was only one case of a minor bribe by a junior officer and he was removed from the army.
Think about it the next time you support some police officer or constable taking bribes from people. Today, he is taking a bribe in a minor offense, tomorrow he will be taking bigger bribes which could be to compromise the security of the country.
Think about it. If the army personnel who earn the same start being corrupt, where will our country be?
Where Life Starts 
Nice article. I share many of your views. At the same time do not ignore many are corrupt, lazy and actually do not want to work. They have gotten used to easy money. I also think for police to be efficient they must be out of political control.
Thank you Abhijit. Yes I do agree with you that they have just gotten used to easy money. That’s why I mentioned the fact about my dad’s salary and how that’s not an excuse to take bribes. And yes it is political pressure which hampers them. This is beautifully shown in Singham Returns.
What I liked you tried to put the realism and the other side of the coin too balancing the points
Thank you, Chaitali 🙂
Of all the posts I’ve seen on this topic, this one of yours looks most reasonable. Corruption can not be supported at any level and in any form. Corruption can be seen everywhere in this country, but the police force is more vulnerable to it for our judiciary, law and order system have given ample scope to them. Moreover, we’re responsible for that also. I remember an incident where I saw a person pleading to a policeman ( he was not carrying his driving licence and was charged for that ) to let him go while he saying ” aap ko khush kar denge “.
My uncle was in military too. I’ve heard about the hardship when he was posted at Kargil. But sorry to say, even army is not free from corruption…
Thank you, Maniparna. Yes, corruption can’t be supported anywhere. And, yes I agree, army is not free from corruption. But it definitely is not on the scale that is in Police. And it’s because the moment you are discovered, you are dismissed from the army with complete humiliation. While in the police, it is considered a matter of pride to take bribes.
This could lead to a long discussion and can’t be generalized…but of course, you’re right that corruption is most prevalent in police force and they are not supposed to get punished severely for practicing such nuisance … :-(.
The first thing people say when you talk about the police – “They are corrupt”…. And yet it is us who indulge them. So we need to share the blame.
Yes, absolutely Ryan. That’s why I said in my article that we are equally to be blamed. After all, if they ask for bribes, we agree to give them and many times offer it ourselves.
I agree with you on all the points, We breed the demon and one day it consumes us.
Kudos to your father and you are right. The problem is not only the police but the citizens are responsible too.
Thank you. Yes absolutely.
That was a good one Arti 🙂
I do agree with you. We should start by stopping our habit of giving bribes. Let us just begin at somewhere and try to change the whole scenario gradually.
Yes very true, Anmil