Outrage by Delhi cops

The Delhi police reports to the Union home ministry and is considered among the best-equipped and best-trained police forces in the country. This is just as well, given the range of responsibilities that fall on it. Of late, though, the question has arisen if the force is growing into the habit of trying to be in tune with its political masters.

Not long ago, it practically sided with an obscure Hindutva vigilante group which claimed the Kerala House canteen was selling beef dishes, and resorted to coercive action against Kerala House, a state government precinct, and hastily backed off only when the Kerala government kicked up a huge fuss. A few days ago it beat up and dragged students by the hair, including women students, who were protesting outside the RSS office in New Delhi in the wake of the suicide of dalit student Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad recently. The police also looked on passively as some goons, presumably loyal to the RSS, set upon the protesting students, pummelling them with kicks and punches. In effect, it was open season on peaceful protesters.

It was shocking to hear Delhi police commissioner B.S. Bassi claim on Tuesday that his force may have been “provoked”. Even if this were true — and television reports indicated it wasn’t — since when has beating and pulling female protesters by their hair become part of the police manual Mr Bassi must do something to sound less ridiculous, and take swift disciplinary action against the policemen who misbehaved.