The Nightmarish Joke that is the Punjab Police
I just saw this post on Sepia Mutiny on Ruby Dhalla’s recent trip to Punjab. As previously blogged by Anandica, Dhalla, the Canadian MP of the Brampton, was there to attend the Punjabi NRI Sammelan. It seems one of her staffers had her bag snatched in the village Pohir. Dhalla was in the village to speak at the SDP College for Women. Encouraging women to reach for their dreams, she saw the nightmare that is the Punjab Police.
Their tender age didn’t stop Punjab police from thrashing them mercilessly,” the Times of London wrote. “The kids begged and pleaded for mercy but the cops didn’t relent: they kept raining blows on them.
Although this blog is still very young, I am sure future blogs will continue to impunity in which the Punjab Police functions. Earlier this week we read of the prison rebellion after the Punjab Police prison officials forcibly cut a Sikh inmate’s hair.
Although a popular joke in the Punjab, unfortunately it speaks of its realities.
The CIA, UK’s Scotland Yard, and Punjab Police all try to prove that they are the best at apprehending criminals.
They decide to have a competition. A lion is released into a forest then the police agency will go out to capture it. The police agency that succeeds in the least time will be the winner.
The CIA goes first. They place animal informants throughout the forest. They question all plant and mineral witnesses. After 1 hour of extensive investigations they catch the lion.
Next it is the turn of Scotland Yard. Following tracks and examining changes in the foliage, they are able to capture the lion in 45 minutes.
Finally, it is the turn of the Punjab Police. Hours go by and the judges get no response. Deciding to check on the Punjab Police, the judges venture into the forest. There they see a donkey hung upside by its hind legs. A Punjab Police Officer (probably KPS Gill) is lashing the donkey with an iron rod, screaming “Bol thu sher hai” (“Say/Admit you are a lion!”).
7 Responses to “The Nightmarish Joke that is the Punjab Police”
I just read this piece too and was horrified. I am hoping that Dhalla steps in and makes amends for the two children accused. I am curious as to where she was when the police were thrashing those children? The Punjab Police are corrupt, there's no news there, but considering what the goal of the conference was it seems there's a very long way to go before any real success will be seen in Punjab. I hope NRIs will not accept such behavior from the Police and they are reprimanded in some way, even just to save face with the NRIs looking to give financial assistance for the initiatives being put forth to improve Punjab!
I just read this piece too and was horrified. I am hoping that Dhalla steps in and makes amends for the two children accused. I am curious as to where she was when the police were thrashing those children? The Punjab Police are corrupt, there’s no news there, but considering what the goal of the conference was it seems there’s a very long way to go before any real success will be seen in Punjab. I hope NRIs will not accept such behavior from the Police and they are reprimanded in some way, even just to save face with the NRIs looking to give financial assistance for the initiatives being put forth to improve Punjab!
Dhalla was quoted for saying:
I think sometimes NRIs forget that our strength is not only in our dollars but also in our voices to speak out against social inequity in Punjab … this incident was an opportunity for Ms. Dhalla to use that voice as an NRI representative. She could have brought attention to the issues of brutality and poverty, particularly with all the media attention she is getting in India as an "official" guest of the Punjabi Government. I hope at the very least she does “… take a look at the whole matter” while still in Punjab and say something besides “all you need is love”.
Dhalla was quoted for saying:
I think sometimes NRIs forget that our strength is not only in our dollars but also in our voices to speak out against social inequity in Punjab … this incident was an opportunity for Ms. Dhalla to use that voice as an NRI representative. She could have brought attention to the issues of brutality and poverty, particularly with all the media attention she is getting in India as an “official” guest of the Punjabi Government. I hope at the very least she does “… take a look at the whole matter” while still in Punjab and say something besides “all you need is love”.
I agree. Wasn't this an opportunity for Ruby Dhalla to shed light on the issues this incident raised instead of blowing it off as mistakes that children make? For her, maybe it was just about stealing, but there's much more to the issue than that – something you'd think would be on their minds after attending a conference on development. Granted, the Punjab Police don't have the best reputation for performing due process, but Dhalla's reaction to the incident was dismaying.
I agree. Wasn’t this an opportunity for Ruby Dhalla to shed light on the issues this incident raised instead of blowing it off as mistakes that children make? For her, maybe it was just about stealing, but there’s much more to the issue than that – something you’d think would be on their minds after attending a conference on development. Granted, the Punjab Police don’t have the best reputation for performing due process, but Dhalla’s reaction to the incident was dismaying.
[…] expect clashes and a brutal random round up by the police within the next three days. (See earlier “joke” about this […]