Extend time and hold local level consultations: Round Table on Goa Police Bill

That the House Committee must seek extension of time for eliciting suggestions on the Goa Police Bill and must have informed hearings at village and taluka levels and submit a reasoned report, was the consensus at a State-level Round Table on the Goa Police Bill organised in the city today. This demand came in the light of the testimonies from participants about their experiences with the police as also their concerns about the police, none of which was reflected in the Police Bill. The Round Table organised by Citizens Initiatives for Communal Harmony drew the participation of representatives of women’s , children’s rights, tribal, youth and minority groups, trade unions, organizations working on local self-governance, civic issues, informal workers’ groups, non-Government organizations, and educational institutions, besides lawyers and other concerned citizens.

Mr. Karl Pinto e Souza, stated that it was necessary to look at whose interests the police force serves and also to look at what access is available to vulnerable and differently abled sections of society to access the police. He questioned the prejudices in the bill which make uncalled for assumptions about the criminality of tenants and migrants while completely overlooking gated communities with their mega-facilities and clout. Retired Defense service officer John Eric Gomes observed that there were several ambiguities and contradictions in the Goa Police Bill and no provisions for citizens to be able to complain at a police station of their comfort.

Referring to the series of unearthed murders of women Ms. Auda Viegas of Bailancho Ekvott suggested that the police should maintain written records and have data maintenance systems as regards the work being done by them and the crimes recorded by them. Ms. Viegas further opined that politically motivated transfers must stop as this deters effective investigations. Dr. Narayan Dumo pointed out that the ground of ‘administrative exigency’ set out in the Goa Police Bill to justify transfers was too vague, while also drawing attention to the inhuman working terms for the police which he stated must also be addressed through this Bill. Mr. Reggie Gomes also stressed the need for an independence from politicians both in the recruitment and functioning of police.

Ms. Madhuri Rao of Family Counselling Centre of All India Women’s Conference made a case for putting an obligation for compensation by police for dereliction of their duty to register complaints, besides stating that the police were hesitant to consider counselors at the police station which could have facilitated complainants. Mr. Pranab Mukhopadhyay also stated that provisions must be built in to ensure that police do not shirk their responsibility to register complaints. Mr. Anthony D’Silva of Ambelim remarked on the right of a complainant to get their complaint registered in a language which they understand.

Mr. Pravin Sabnis of Goa Bachao Abhiyan stated that law and order is a vague term and that protection was being afforded to violators in the name of averting a law and order situation generated by the very violators, complaints against whom were not being taken up. A common refrain at the Round Table was the failure of the police to register complaints of the lay man and woman even as false complaints were registered by the police against those who were questioned the illegalities of certain corporate interests and the corruption and hafta collection and mafiasation of the police. Experiences in this regard were shared by Mr. Rama Velip of Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED), Mr. Mahesh Naik of Jai Damodar Association, Mr. Laurie Abranches of United Goans Welfare Front. Ms. Sunita Mulgaonkar representing Tribes of Goa also wondered whether police protection was meant for perpetrators of crimes giving an instance where a perpetrator of a serious crime against a tribal domestic help was afforded protection.

Mr. Rahul Tripathi of the Department of Political Science, Goa University, emphasized the importance of human rights education as part and parcel of police training and education, while also pointing out the need for defined roles for state and central police agencies. Ms. Sumita Sawant Desai spoke of the need for priority in the police curriculum of education about traffic and redressal of important people’s concerns. Mr. Soter D’Souza of Centre for Panchayati Raj stated that the police must be at the service of the citizens to ensure their effective political participation including at the gram sabha in order to protect themselves from the disruption of these gram sabhas by organised goons. Mr. Vidyadhar Gadgil of CICH stated that the Government was not serious even about implementing its own one-man inquiry report into the Guddemol riots where police sensitization for dealing with communal tensions was recommended. The communalization of the police force also came for sharp criticism from the participants.

Mr. Sebastian Rodrigues of MAND remarked that there was a hype created around “security” in the Goa Police Bill and questioned whose security this was intended to provide for. Participants also questioned yet another SEZ formation visualized through the Goa Police Bill in the name of Special Security Zones where ordinary policing would not apply. Adv. Thalmann Pereira observed that the very concept of policing needed to have been changed after freedom from the colonial yoke where police action was directed towards security for the rich and powerful and against vulnerable peoples and peoples whose vulnerable interests are being subordinated. Adv. Pereira called for people’s participation at various levels in ensuring effective policing. Participants called for effective independent mechanisms in the legislation both to monitor and to hold the police accountable . Mr. Moses Fernandes remarked that there must also be active civil liberties forums at people’s levels to monitor functioning of police so that there is effective regulation of policing.

Representatives of Ganv Ghor Rakhonn Manch and Consumer Forums who were unable to be present also sent in their suggestions.

Albertina Almeida
Ramesh Gauns