Give patient hearing to common man: Prez to police

A patient hearing to the grievances of the common man and an honest effort to help him should be the mantra for police, Prez Pranab Mukherjee said.

New Delhi: A patient hearing to the grievances of the common man and an honest effort to help him should be the mantra for police, President Pranab Mukherjee told a gathering of top police officers of the country here.

The President, while addressing the police Director Generals and Inspector Generals at Rashtrapti Bhavan Friday night, said there was no room for "complacency" for the forces and the country has a lot of expectations from them. Mukherjee told senior police officials that grievances of the common man should never be undermined or ignored. While it may not be possible to solve all problems, most of the time, a patient hearing, advice with empathy and an honest effort on the part of the police would lead to considerable improvement in the overall image of the Police force as well as the government, he said. The President, according to a Rashtrapati Bhawan statement, described the police constable as the visible face of the government in most of rural India and called upon police personnel to respond with sensitivity to the concerns and complaints of the public. He said that a large majority citizens form their opinion about the government based on the response and efficiency of policemen to their concerns. Mukherjee asked senior police officials to remain vigilant against violations of human rights and take prompt action whenever a grievance relating to human rights is brought to their attention, adding that by showing respect for human rights, the police can win the confidence of the public. The President described the challenges facing India on the law and order front as "complex" and said he understood the enormity of the problem and how police departments had to address challenges with courage and determination despite inadequacy of human and financial resources. "The President called for enhancing the technical competence of the police at all levels with a view to enhancing effective functioning and improving the overall administration of the criminal justice system. "He congratulated police forces for doing a good job under tremendous pressure and said there was no room for complacency. He stated that the country expects much more and he was confident they would rise up to expectations," the statement added. PTI