POLICE WATCH INDIA (Regd. NGO).
We at “POLICE WATCH INDIA” feel that keeping in mind changing times & changing needs of the society at large it has become highly imperative that most of the existing laws need to be re-enacted by the legislature as they have become antiquated hence grossly infective or should we say almost toothless & unfeared.
The words “up-to”, “may-be”, “can-be” as well all such terms that lead to misuse need to be taken of all the statute books as such terms can be, have been & will be taken advantage of by persons enforcing the law & others.
Taking the example of the INDIAN PENAL CODE we find that punishments & fines that have been quantified for various offences have almost lost their sting & effectiveness. A particular section of IPC says that a person can be fined upto Rs. 500/- for a particular offence committed by him. Now let us imagine the value of Rs. 500/- when this law was enacted in relation to the value Rs. 500/- today. The fine of Rs. 500/- could have been a deterrent in those days when this law was enacted but today this amount of fine is nothing but peanuts and anybody can get away by paying this amount with ease i.e. even without batting an eyelid.
Now the practical aspect of these antiquated provision in law as experienced by the undersigned is that one day a lady was using her mobile while driving and when the undersigned confronted her and told her that she was breaking the law she immediately retorted that I can easily afford to pay the fine as my father has lot of money as such I should mind my own business.
Another person who was driving a Mercedes Car without the seat belt strapped on when confronted by the undersigned told the undersigned that he is just not bothered as the fine that he will have to pay was much less than what he tips waiters in restaurants every day.
This type of corrupt practice as encouraged by the so-called responsible citizens of this country can be seen at Railway Stations as well as at many other places all over the country.
Many of these snobs can be heard and seen denouncing corruption malady very vigorously in front of others to enhance their stature in public view. Unfortunately those who get carried away by their concerns for those seriously affected by corruption are not aware of the covert corrupt practices resorted to by these snobs.
Weak laws & sentences awarded BEING CONCURRENT IN NATURE INSTEAD OF BEING CUMULATIVE IN nature do not contribute to the deterrence & fear of law in today’s world. Hence all sentences awarded should be cumulative in nature.
The induction of juvenile delinquents into the world of crime by hardened criminals that to after making juvenile delinquents aware of the weak laws is a classic example how ineffective the laws are in India.
Books can be written by the undersigned exposing corruption as it practically exists in our day to day lives but the undersigned for the sake of brevity feels that what has been brought herein strongly conveys the message he intends to convey.
The need for tougher & tougher laws is very much the need of the hour yet it is re-iterated that without changing the mindset of the people at large by means of mass persuasion there is little hope for curbing corruption.
Let us start the much needed mass movement of persuasion from our very own homes & Offices before we take it to others as it is rightly said by somebody that “Charity begins at home”.
