On Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared to constitute a three member commission in order to recommend steps to modernize the state police force. The Pioneer has quoted CM Yogi as saying, “A three member commission will be constituted to give recommendations for strengthening and modernisation of police.” He further added, “By the end of 2019, 1.25 lakh constables will join the force, ending their shortage. It will help people and will witness better policing.” CM Yogi continued, “It will also address problem of their leave and they will be able to perform their duties without any tension and will also be able to spend quality time with their families.”
CM Yogi also said that his government has been taking several initiatives for the families of martyred policemen. The government has doubled the amount of compensation from 20 lakh to 40 lakh given to families of martyred policemen. The amount given to the parents of martyred officer has also been hiked to Rs. 10 lakh.
In order to boost the morale of the police force, the state government has promoted many police officers. He said, “To enhance morale of the force and ensure good work culture, the state government made special emphasis on their time bound promotion. In 2017, as many as 9,892 police men and in 2018, 37,575 policemen were promoted which is a record.”
CM Yogi also said that the government is working to improve the infrastructure for the training of police constables and improving other facilities, and allowances given to policemen have been also increased.
These are big steps which would bring significant improvement in the state police force. Earlier also CM Yogi has taken bold steps to end malpractices including putting an end to the SP era ‘yadavisation’ process of the state police. The UP Police was one of the biggest victims of the ‘yadavisation’ drive launched by the previous SP regime of Uttar Pradesh. Yadav caste was not only given political patronage but, disregarding every procedural and ethical conducts, was given preference in administrative apparatus to an absurd level. According to a Times of India report in 2014, more than 60 percent of the police stations were headed by officers belonging to the Yadav community. In the capital, Lucknow, 32 out of 40 police stations were headed by a Yadav officer. This Yadavisation of the UP police forces resulted in rise in crime in the state.
The story of the Yadavisation of UP Police, from recruitment to promotion has often been told and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Undue political influence on the forces had become the norm in UP during Akhilesh’s rule. All was done to promote a specific community and create an ‘eco system’ that would be favorable to the party even if it is out of power.
This favoritism came to an end only after public of UP kicked out Akhilesh government out of power and CM Yogi assumed power in the state. He took many steps to improve the condition of state police and his hardwork paid off. In recent times, UP Police has managed to gain a phenomenal success in its fight against crime. Since the advent of the Yogi Government, criminals are running from pillar to post to save their lives. The on-going all-out war against crime and criminals in UP has been successful in eradicating many notorious and dreaded criminals from the society. According to official Data, 66 criminal have been killed in police encounters since the Yogi government has come to power. There have been over 1,478 police encounters in the state between 20 March 2017 and 25 March 2018. The highest number of encounters happened in Meerut Zone, 569. Bareilly zone is the next one with 253 encounters. Next one in the queue is the Agra zone where 241 encounters took place followed by Kanpur zone with 112 encounters. In CM Yogi’s Gorakhpur district 51 encounters took place. According to the officials “The UP police have invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against 188 criminals and seized assets worth over Rs 150 crore. The Gangster’s Act was imposed on 1,455 persons and 4,881 criminals arrested.”
CM Yogi ‘s ongoing reform drive would further provide more teeth to the UP Police and with force and power it would able instill more fear among the criminals. The people have been supporting the efforts of CM Yogi and the UP Police to make UP a crime free state.