Team Anna:How long will Indians be subjected to state supported crimes?

The tragic death of 2009-batch IPS officer Narender Kumar by the mining mafia in central Indian state Madhya Pradesh is not a surprise to those who every now and then voiced concerns over the nexus of politicians and mafia and police in the state. The testament to this can be ascertained from the fact that the father of slain 30-year-old brave-heart told the press that his son, who served as Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP and had taken on the mining mafia, was being threatened by a Bharatiya Janata Party leader. Calling Narender’s death ‘a well planned conspiracy’ his family claimed that the he had 'filed several cases against the tractor owners in the area-which were let go by the police'.

While it is shocking the investigating officers and the Madhya Pradesh, home minister, Uma Shankar Gupta termed Kumar’s killing as an ‘accident’, the larger question of state government’s inaction over the repeated reports about the active mafia in the region needs to be taken up. At the same time the blame game started by the Congress seems to be initiated only to earn brownie points. The country knows it well that the Congress sabotaged the Janlokpal bill meant to bring culprits to book in a speedy manner. If the Janlok Pal would have been implemented justice in Kumar’s death as sought by his family and the entire nation would not remain elusive like in the case of other deaths of similar nature that have taken place in the past. It is pertinent to mention that at least 15 Indians, who tried to blow lid of the corruption scams or fought the menace in other ways, have been killed since 2010. While the Janlokpal ensure security to the whistle blowers, the proposed bill on the issue floated by the government is inadequate and gives the powers to CAG which in a way is a statutory body and cannot act of its own. Strong whistle-blower protection law is needed, not the one presented by the UPA. Government’s law seeks to protect corrupt and victimize whistleblowers.

How long will we be subjected to state supported crimes? India need strong whistle-blower protection act to prevent deaths of martyrs like IPS Narendra Kumar. 

Team Anna and the entire nation stands in solidarity with Narender Kumar’s family in this moment of sorrow.