Manipur Reiterates Issue Of Policing Credibility

As rote politics of outrage and creative contextualisation ensue, the age-old issue of State Police failing to uphold its mandated, unbiased and effective function, rises yet again. To reiterate the incident that shocked the national consciousness (though some still persisted with expansive whataboutery), victims were accosted and snatched away from the ostensible protection of the State Police force, and then barbarism followed.

Police failed to protect and stop the vile incident, which incidentally entailed the family of one from the other ‘Uniform’ in Manipur, i.e., the Indian Army.

Since Independence, the North-East has had simmering insurgencies owing to tumultuous integration, local strife, wounded perceptions and discrimination by the proverbial ‘Delhi powers’, in all possible manifestations.

However, in almost all regional insurgencies the local State Police were unable to contain the situation and the Indian Armed Forces were invariably requisitioned.

The ‘Sentinels of the NorthEast’ or Assam Rifles (Central Armed Police Force under Ministry of Home Affairs) has been a rare and impactful Police Force, albeit one that has been operationally under the command of the Indian Army and led by its officers, empaneled to it.

The other Police forces have not been able to control, gain credibility, compliance or evoke motivation to cooperate. Hence, they are invariably seen as inefficacious, unfair, complicit and sometimes even, politically biassed or divided on ethnic lines.

Manipur personifies that tragic reality. News of the ranks of Manipur Police compromising on constitutional uprightness in favour of derelictions along ethnic lines is shameful.

They had sworn to protect all, without fear or favour. However, local politics and societal passions have clearly infected the Police forces, and they are approximating the ethnic polarisation.

Nothing personifies the rot, suspicion and ‘giving-in’ to local politics than the fate of the last two Director General of Police (DGP’s) of Manipur Police. On June 1, and at the height of the violent unrest, P. Doungel IPS (1987 batch), was removed as the DGP and transferred as OSD (Home).

Another IPS Officer from Tripura, Rajiv Singh (1993 batch), was appointed in an inter-cadre movement. Perhaps the fact that Doungel was an ethnic Kuki had something to do with the transfer.

The official release justifying the inter-cadre appointment stated, “in relaxation of the policy as a special case in the public interest”!

Has Doungel’s conduct suggested any bias? If yes, then perhaps his subsequent move as OSD, is no less fraught with risk. But the optics and moves in Manipur would suggest otherwise and therefore attributing a personal identity or motive above their constitutional ‘Uniform’, is an anathema, at least in the Indian Army.

Tellingly, after P. Doungel was transferred, the next in line in terms of seniority was his brother, C. Doungel (1990 batch), but he too was denied. Importantly, soon after the local clashes started in early May, P Doungel’s junior, Ashutosh Sinha (1993 batch) had been made ‘operational commander’ and P. Doungel had virtually no say in operational roles, so what could have been the purpose of removing and possibly tainting a professional’s image? Politics?

The DGP prior to P. Doungel was L.M. Khaute, who took voluntary retirement from service, and fought successfully in the State Assembly Elections in 2022. Himself a Kuki too, Khaute was one of the six JD (U) MLAs who joined the BJP afterward.

Today, as one of the ten tribal MLAs, Khaute has joined the chorus of denouncing his own party’s Chief Minister as having failed to control the situation. Yet again, the image of the Manipur Police Force (from the very top), has justifiably or even unfairly, lent itself to be sullied by partisan suggestions and that cannot augur well for the future.

It is a State where some in the Police force are addressing themselves as ‘Meitei Police’ or ‘Kuki Police’, and not collectively as Manipur Police. By ascribing questions of fairness on the top-cop post itself, the politicians overlooking Manipur have hardly helped build the credibility of the Police.

One of the reasons as to why the Indian Army remains a blunt institution of kinetic-ability is that every individual’s personal identity or faith is subsumed under that of the ‘Uniform’ he/she bears. No appointment is ever made based on suitability in terms of personal ethnicity, religion or regional affiliation.

The same Meitei or Kuki soldier serving in Army’s Assam Regiment, Naga Regiment or even the Assam Rifles would instinctively behave differently from the one in the Police forces. There isn’t much to differentiate in terms of intake or weaponry, at least for insurgency wherewithal.

But it is the institutional culture and investment in ‘distance’ from politics that adds to the moral, physical and psychological output, incalculably.

Historically, politics or partisanship was shunned within the rarefied air of cantonments (sadly it is ‘opening up’, literally and figuratively). To understand the debilitating consequences of partaking partisan or civilian passions, one only must look at the performance of the State Police, under trying situations.

Few years ago, a self-styled godman had virtually taken over a township near Chandigarh. His mob had made the large posse of Haryana Police scurry aimlessly and capitulate.

The situation was desperate, and a galaxy of top Police leadership and thousands of Police personnel failed hopelessly, till a small detachment of just six columns of the Indian Army was requisitioned. Immediately the mob was put in its place, as they knew that the Army soldier meant business, as they had no other stakes, save the orders given.

Sadly, for the Police forces, the politician-police equation is dangerously and mutually gratifying, while not so, for the Indian Army. While there have been outstanding Police officers and personnel who have conducted themselves fearlessly, and in complete dignity and probity of their constitutional promises, the larger ‘system’ that governs them repeatedly fails them, and consequently, the society that they are supposed to protect.

Manipur is yet another grim reminder of the unlearnt lessons and pending actions on Policing reforms.

Lt General Bhopinder Singh (Retd), is the Former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry. Views expressed are the writer’s own.