Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan delivered a sharp rebuke of police behaviour toward student protesters at Jantar Mantar, warning that officers who become lawbreakers invite contempt for the law and encourage lawlessness across society.
Justice Bhuyan made the remarks at the launch of former secretary (security) Yashovardhan Azad’s book Policing the Republic. He directed his criticism at senior Indian Police Service officers who allegedly personally assaulted protesters during the NEET agitation.
“All of us are dismayed when we see young officers of the Indian Police Service personally going and assaulting protesters and demonstrators. This is something very, very distressing to observe. The detachment expected of police officers somehow seems to be disappearing, and this is indeed a matter of grave concern,” Justice Bhuyan said.
The judge stressed that the police force holds a place of deep trust in the eyes of ordinary citizens. “It is, therefore, of utmost importance that the police force maintains its credibility. It can do so only by strictly adhering to the Constitution, by functioning as a truly professional force, acting impartially, displaying courage and acting with conviction, maintaining integrity and adhering to secular principles, thereby upholding the rule of law,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also questioned: “Does a citizen shed his fundamental right the moment a policeman arrests him?”