According to Status of Policing in India Report, 2019, only about 7% of women make up the police force, and only 1% are at a supervisory position. Jee, I wonder why we are such a small percentage. Could it be the unfair treatment or the gender disparity in this field? Who’s to say. *rolls eyes* It’s not like we’ve heard stories of women police officers being transferred or fired or being called hotheaded for just doing their job, right? Oh, wait!
This has in fact happened umpteen times and yet another case has come to light. Sunita Yadav, a police constable in Surat was transferred for pulling up the Gujarat’s Health Minister MLA Kishor Kanani’s son, Prakash. Prakash and his two friends were driving around post the curfew hours and didn’t even have face masks on. Officer Sunita snatched the car keys and asked the men to step outside. Also, she questioned why there was MLA banner on the car and ordered to removed it.
The men threatened her saying they had the power to make her stand at the same place for 365 days to which she aptly replied saying that she wasn’t their slave or a servant of their fathers that they can do that. Now, you’d think that she was just doing her job and should actually be applauded for doing her duty so diligently, but let’s not forget we live in a nation where the political power is above all powers.
One of the young men called up Kishore Kanani who told the officer that his son was out “to help his friend.” Later, as a reward for being duty-bound, Sunita was transferred to police headquarters and an inquiry was ordered on her. The video of the whole incident is doing rounds on social media with hashtag #IsupportSunitaYadav trending.
Watch the video here.
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She is brave & the country need officers like her! 👮😎#SunitaYadav #isupportsunitayadavpic.twitter.com/NRqA83icR8
— Deepak Roy🇮🇳 (@ImD_roy) July 12, 2020
She talked to the Gujarat health minister on phone and told him “You are Health Minister, your kin should be wearing a mask and following rules more stringently.” She also asked him, “So what if you are a minister, do the rules don’t apply to you?” After the incident she went on a sick leave and a probe was ordered.
The young men were reportedly arrested for breaking the curfew, disobeying a police officer and negligence towards the pandemic. They were charged under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269, 270 (negligent and malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), and 144 (abettor present when offence committed), but later released on bail the next day, while the brave constable has resigned from the position and an inquiry on her is underway.
So, this is what you get for doing your job honestly and diligently? Not only we lost a sincere police officer but also faith in the system, once again. If the police can’t do their job without having the fear of being suspended or fired, what can expect from others? Clearly, Sunita didn’t have the support of her department and supervisors who also succumbed to the political pressure which forced her to resign from her job. This is frustrating.