We were privileged and delighted to meet the new DGP, Mr.Satyavrat Bansal at his office. Mr.Bansal was apprised of the event that occurred a couple of Sundays ago when 3 of our children were taken into custody, along with 40 others, for not having identity papers. They were kept in the lock up till 8 pm, used as free labour, were not given anything to eat or drink, thereby violating every possible human right!
While the incident was being related, Mr.Bansal had taken notes & had immediately called up the officer in charge of the offending police station, inquiring & reprimanding without wasting more time. The next morning we had in our mail the names & mobile numbers of all the Child Protection Officers at the Police Stations in Dehradun who would help us file identity papers for our children. And if we needed any further help, we had only to pick up the phone & call.
It was reassuring to see the response of the senior most officer in Uttarakhand to our appeal. He has the drive to get off dead centre & make a start. With intense concentration, he believes in putting first things first, simplifying the complex, finishing one thing at a time; not being a slave to the system.
Here is a man of action who believes in the easiest and quickest ways of getting things done. A true citizen, he sees the potential in everyone and obviously lives with the conviction that actions release ideas so that they can inspire and benefit.
Thanks for sharing this; I am more than happy to learn about such developments. Please keep up posted on more of these. We need more these officers around.
It is good to know that there are senior officers like Mr Bansal who are willing to do the right thing. However, that such a state exists is the terrible evil we all need to fight. Why should any policeman consider what was done to and with the children normal or acceptable? The police is there for the citizen, in particular for the disadvantaged and poor. Instead of helping, they take advantage of people’s helplessness and use them and harass them. I shudder to think of those who don’t have fairy godmothers like your children do.
We love the title of ‘fairy godmothers’!
Seriously, agree with you on everything you have said.
We asked Mr.Bansal for:
Hastening the identity process
Aasraa Trust letter as guarantors for the children should be accepted, otherwise the trust we have built with the kids for the last 3 years is negated.Building trust is ‘THE’ most difficult task.
Workshops should be conducted to sensitise the police officers to the needs of street & slum children. This could be done with the help of NCPRC.
We requested for help in launching an ‘anti-begging’ campaign in Dehradun. Children are doled out money out of a misplaced sense of charity & or fear of divine retribution! Details are being worked out…