ROLE OF POLICE IN COMBATING COMMUNALISM

Ironically the country, which boasts of its cultural heritage from the greatexponents of non violence like Gautam Buddha, Guru Nanak and Mahatma Gandhi, isstricken by the deadly disease of communal violence. The incidences of communalviolence are the most disturbing phenomena. It is a matter of great shame that in spite ofcommissions of inquiry and long post mortems into incidents of communal agitation,nobody is punished for the communal crimes they commit.Combating communalism has to be given priority as urgent national task. Itneeds to be taken up at all levels of society irrespective of caste colour and creed.Communalism has made serious inroads into the state apparatus; many of the officials ofthe Government have openly or secretly compromised with or even supported communalforces and sometimes themselves practice communalism. The law and order machineryhas to be rid of communal elements. It has to remain ever vigilant to extinguish thecommunal spark before it sets an area or town on fire.