Centre objects to private police in Goa

| 02 May 1997 22:13 IST

The Goa government is under fire from the centre for giving policing powers to private agencies, in the new police bill the state Assembly has recently passed.

While adopting certain provisions of the Singapore Police act, chief minister Pratapsing Rane has made special provisions to appoint auxiliary police as well as honorary police, under the control of the government, any company, statutory body or any other organisation.

As per the two separate provisions in chapter II and IX of the new police legislation, the respective companies would appoint persons as 'policemen' after getting proper approval and training from the police department, giving them all the powers of police personnel.

While strongly opposing these provisions, the local unit of CPI brought it to the notice of Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta during his recent Goa visit. "The auxiliary police would be used mainly by the big companies and other corporate bodies to crush workers' struggles", said Christopher Fonseca, the local CPI leader.

Gupta has fully agreed with the contention of his party colleagues here. "Such a provision should be opposed tooth and nail by all Goans. Build a state-wide movement against it before the President of India gives his assent", he appealed to the locals while addressing the May Day rally.

Gupta said he was not satisfied with the discussion held with the chief minister on the issue. "Rane claims that Goa is the most peaceful state without any law and order problem. They why do you need such auxiliary police force", he asked.

The union home minister has also demanded from the state government a special mention in the act that the auxiliary police would not be used to suppress peoples struggles including the trade union movement since Rane claims that the provision has no such intentions.

Fonseca, the local trade union leader, fears that the anti-worker gangs operating in the state, including the one led by South Goa MP Churchill Alemao, would be the first ones to be given powers of auxiliary police.

On the other hand, Prabhakar Sinari, a former state IGP and a freedom fighter, has also opposed the provision : "No police powers of arrest etc should be given to private security and detectives agencies because it would be abused in various ways, creating confusion in public mind".

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