The emasculation of the police force has been cited as one of the potent reasons for the failure of intelligence in anticipating such blasts.
Several top police officials as well as retired officials were of the view that the police force today is not concentrating on its main work. With posts from that of commissioner of police to a constable on sale and transfers and promotions available at a price, policemen are more concerned with trying to get their investment back than with their duties as enforcers of the law.
Those who are unable to pay for postings and promotions are dejected and demoralised, leading to chaos in the functioning of the force.
Most police officials, present and past, alleged that things have never been as bad as they are today under this government's state home minister, Mr Chaggan Bhujbal. Former Mumbai police commissioner Julio Ribeiro said "it is not the whole government that should be dismissed on the issue of the blasts, but only the home minister, Mr Chhagan Bhujbal." Mr Ribeiro was referring to Mr Pramod Mahajan's call for the dismissal of the Sushil Kumar Shinde government.
Mr Ribeiro said intelligence had never been very strong, and even the most sophisticated intelligence fails, as in the United States. "Police standards are better today than they were 20 years ago.
Brain power is better. But they are concentrating more about how to make money than doing their jobs. You have to change the home minister. He's the real culprit. What police officers tell me is that they have to pay for any posting or promotion. It's ridiculous that the only thought is about money," he said.
Those familiar with police issues say a commissioner of police has to pay a few crore rupees for his position, assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners Rs 20 lakhs to Rs 40 lakhs and inspectors and constables around Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.
"The higher the morale in the police force, the better is their commitment to their jobs and the chances of such things happening would be reduced. They would be more vigilant and worried about the possibility of attacks of this type," said Mr Ribeiro, adding, "The irony of the situation is brought out from the fact that minister of state for home Kripashankar Singh complained that his minister (Mr Bhujbal) did not give him a a chance to transfer constables. It is the job of the commissioner to transfer policemen, from constables to deputy commissioners, and it is illustrative of the political interference. The politicians want to run the force for what it gets them in terms of clout and money. All this has really demoralised the force and caused a lot of unhappiness. If you talk to them they are very demoralised."
A serving officer who has been shunted around said on condition of anonymity that the police force has become the home minister's milch cow, his personal fiefdom. "When corruption seeps in, inefficiency creeps in. Operations like handling terrorism require highly professional, highly skilled and committed individuals. There is a lot of intrigue and jealousy as some go up and others are kept down," he said.
A good officer like deputy commissioner of police Sanjeev Dayal was transferred out as he allegedly did not toe Mr Bhujbal's line on transfers. DCP S.G. Jaharekar was prematurely transferred out of Borivali zone and DCP Ritesh Kumar was transferred thrice in one year.
This serving officer said the situation, ironically, is akin to that in 1992-93 when a large number of placements were done by chief minister Sudhakarrao Naik. "Bright officers were side-tracked. It was only when Mr Sharad Pawar came to power that all good officers were brought back to good positions. It looks like the same story is being repeated. It is not a question of transfers, but they have nepotistic transfers," he said.
A former police commissioner said
"we have enough forces. If only Mr Bhujbal would allow them to function.
There is too much interference in the police force as he wants spineless
cronies to do his work." He cited the instance of a recent high court directive
ordering the government to keep the current anti-corruption director out
of one case. But the government has not complied yet.