Was the police poorly prepared to handle the protesters or was it justified in shooting and taking the lives of the farmers? DNAexplores.
Three farmers, including a 45-year-old woman, were killed on the Mumbai-Pune expressway when the Pune rural police fired at them on Tuesday afternoon during a protest rasta-roko. Was the police poorly prepared to handle the protesters or was it justified in shooting and taking the lives of the farmers? DNA explores
The administration should be giving clarifications instead of the police
There are bigger questions that stare us in the face with regard to the protest by farmers and how the situation escalated. The problem with the project is known to everyone since the last four years now.
The protest gathering was not created by the police and they were certainly not the reason behind the mob turning violent. When such a big agitation was happening, where were all the civic administrators, who are aware of the farmers’ demands. They could have talked to them to find a solution. Why should there be a magisterial inquiry against the police.
When the civic administration is cognizant of the problem and is also responsible for providing the solution, why should the police justify? It is the civic administration that should give answers.
Jayant Umranikar, senior IPS officer (retd) & former DGP (anti-Naxal ops)
Government is neglecting farmers in Maval taluka due to Pavana project
The police were not justified in opening fire on a mob during the farmers’ protest on Mumbai-Pune highway. The demands and issues of the farmers are not new. The farmers were displaced when their land was acquired for the Pavana dam project in 1972, and they have still not been compensated in the right way.
The compensation that the farmers have got for their land is not as per the current land rates. It is unfair on the government’s part to forcefully take their lands and not give them proper compensation.
While the government is spending so much money to bring water to the people of Pimpri-Chinchwad, they are totally neglecting the farmers in Maval taluka. The water supply project to the PCMC is important, but not at the cost of the farmers.
Maruti Bhapkar, RTI activist & independent corporator, PCMC
Situation would not have escalated, had the police been well-equipped
In India, the police have a tendency to open fire on a mob that becomes violent. Firing at protesters or rioting mobs should be resorted to only as a last option, and before doing so there are certain rules that the police have to comply with. In the case of the recent farmers’ protest on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, I don’t think the police were fully-equipped with tear gas and rubber bullets, to handle the situation.
As the police were handling a situation in an open area, on the outskirts of the city, they should have been fully prepared. With an adequate and well-equipped police force, the situation would not have escalated to this extent. Our police force is busy giving protection to the politicians and then they complain that they don’t have enough force to handle such situations.
Arun Bhatia, retired IAS officer and ex-PMC commissioner
Policemen were forced to open fire after protesters refused to disperse
The police were forced to open fire after the mob turned violent. The police misjudged the turn of events. Although we had deployed 1,000 policemen, including one company of SRPF, in a 33-km area, at the spot of the police firing, there were just 20 of our men.
The leaders of the gathering had assured that they would leave after making their speeches. So we waited for nearly an hour and-a-half. But when the police tried to clear the expressway, the mob began pelting stones on the police.
Some officers were trapped inside the crowd and the mob started assaulting police officers, besides damaging police and private vehicles. About 25 policemen received injuries in the stone-pelting and the condition of an inspector is serious.
Sandeep Karnik, superintendent of police (Pune rural)
Police bore the brunt of anger directed at an insensitive political set-up
The recent police firing on villagers clearly shows the total systemic failure in laying down transparent guidelines for land acquisition, fair price compensation to landowners and re-settlement of the displaced.
Going by media reports, it was the sheer strength of the mob, their aggressive posture, failure to respond to repeated warnings to suspend the agitation and serious injury to colleagues, that compelled the cops to use firepower as the last resort.
The police only bore the brunt of the collective wrath of the villagers, whose anger was directed at an insensitive political set up. If the farmers had been unwilling to part with their lands for the pipeline project, the administration should have taken them into confidence and reach a consensus in a transparent manner.
Girish Deshpande, spokesperson, Professionals Party of India (PPI)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}