Policing without people mars Delhi's sporting spirit-Oct 12, 2010

Policing without people mars Delhi's sporting spirit

TNN, Oct 12, 2010, 01.17am IST


NEW DELHI: "Games at the point of a gun" is how many who are appaled by the absence of spectators are describing the situation. They say this is a logical consequence of the policy of policing without people to maintain law and order.

Sunday's cycling event had few spectators due to the blanket ban on entering Connaught Place, making it very difficult for those interested to reach the venue. The ban on carrying innocuous objects like coins and keys into a stadium follow the pattern. The insistence earlier on getting a form filled for buying a ticket would have discouraged many given the possibility of the tickets not being available at all.

Kiran Bedi, who was part of the security preparations during Asian Games in 1982, says she isn't surprised at the turn of events and had in fact predicted it. "It began with the torch relay if you recall. I declined to run because I didn't wish to run in a cage!" Bedi says, pointing out that cheering fans and filled-up stands are what make for a successful games event.

"Safest is the way it is now — keep out the people, run at any cost. It was foreseen. But nothing much can be done — right now the attitude is that let the event be over and done with, whatever the price," the former top cop adds, lamenting the fact that "in the garb of security threats, there is insensitivity to people at large."

Former Delhi Police commissioner T R Kakkar, though circumspect in his views on police arrangements that stifled public participation, agrees that games devoid of spectators are "not authentic". Kakkar stresses that sports events look much better if we have fans cheering the players. "All sports events need spectators. Though a particular threat perception might have gone into the decision of Delhi Police to seal off CP, I agree that public should be encouraged to come and watch the Games and not be scared by the heavy police presence," he says.

Even a threat perception can be pin-pointed and neutralised without the obtrusive boots-in-your-face kind of security, points out advocate Rajiv Awasthi. Awasthi filed a landmark PIL in Delhi High Court seeking streamlining of VIP security and traffic policing in the city. "Worldwide, such events have unobtrusive security and clinical checking ensures people are allowed to throng the stadiums. People must not feel a gun is being held to their head because they want to watch a game. Right now, the general perception is that the authorities wish to complete the Games at any cost and are least bothered about the absence of spectators. What is a sport without spectators?" asks Awasthi, recalling how the HC had frowned on obtrusive security for VIPs, but during the Games everyone related to the event was a VIP while the rest of the public didn't matter.

However, security expert and former DG of BSF, Prakash Singh, doesn't agree, describing it as a "tricky situation". He says "contradictory factors" need to be balanced. "If the police is lenient, it gets slammed for being lax. If it is stringent, then it's frowned upon. We have to understand they are doing a tough job and crowds in India are not as disciplined as in the West. That seems to be the reason why police isn't taking any chances," he says.

With three days to go for the Games to conclude, the discussion is rather academic now. The damage has been done and it would be good to draw some lessons from this for the future.


Read more: Policing without people mars Delhi's sporting spirit - The Times of India