New Delhi:
Reacting to the unprecedented protests by Delhi Police personnel after some of them were assaulted by lawyers, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi on Wednesday said that men and women in uniform should never be driven to the wall and that they must be protected by their seniors. "When police men and women perform their duty fairly, firmly, fearlessly and responsibly, they need to be protected by their seniors," Bedi said in a statement.
The statement from Bedi, former DCP of Delhi, came a day after Delhi police personnel organised unprecedented protests outside police headquarters after violent clashes with lawyers inside Tis Hazari court premises.
"...the police departments have exclusive departments of vigilance and departmental enquiries. Hence, it is the duty of the department itself to scrutinise their acts of omission and commision in a rigorous manner," she said, adding that it was the leadership's duty to ensure "no one is prejudged and humiliated for doing their bonafide duty."
Interestingly, the agitating police personnel had carried posters of Bedi with "we miss you" slogans written on them. A poster of her with "we need you" written on it was even placed on the main gate of Delhi police headquarters. "Never drive men and women in uniform to the wall and let them lose faith in their own service and own seniors," she said.
During her tenure as Delhi DCP, Bedi was know for her fearless actions, be it roaming around with constables to boost their morale or ordering a lathicharge against protesting lawyers.
Earlier on Tuesday, she advised the Delhi police to remain firm on its stand and narrated her story when she faced a similar situation in 1988 when she had ordered lathicharge agaisnt lawyers. The incident pertained to the arrest of a lawyer for theft in St. Stephen’s college. The lawyer didn't like the police handcuffing him while producing before the Tis Hazari court.
