Gujarat Constable Who Confronted Politician's Son Facing Inquiries. Is This The Price Of Dedication?

Sunita Yadav, the female constable from Gujarat who confronted state's Health Minister Kumar Kanani's son Prakash for violating night curfew in Surat with his friends is facing repercussions for merely doing her duty. After the video of her confrontation with the minister's son went viral, Yadav has earned praises across social media for her bravado. So how has she been rewarded for her courage? With three open inquiries and orders for transfer.

Soon after the incident, news came that Yadav, who was a Lok Rakshak Dal (LRD) cop, had resigned from her post. "I have resigned because I did not receive support from my superior officers. I was only doing my duty as a constable. It's the fault of our system that these people think they are VVIPs," Deccan Chronicle quoted Yadav. However, her seniors have denied her resignation, in the event of her inquiries. Surat Police Commissioner R B Brahmbhatt said, "She has not given her resignation. The inquiry is still on and technically she cannot resign at this juncture." 

Yadav is currently facing three inquiries - one for her July 8 incident with Kanani, and two more for absence from duty since July 9 and allegedly making people do sit-ups for not following social distancing in the past. Until legal matters on the issue become clear, we should at least ask - is this the cost of questing the political power in this country?

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The Sarkari Babu Culture Needs To End

 Does political power give people a free pass to do as they please? Do they fall outside the purview of law? In this case, Kanani's son and his two friends who were arrested for their curfew violation, are already out on bail. How does this encourage people to take the lockdown seriously?

Yadav has admitted that her ordeal has invited a lot of negativity too, aside from the applause. People have been calling her father and brother to threaten them with consequences for her actions. Naturally, this would be mentally exhausting for her - for anyone, for that matter. If a police officer, one among the few who is invested in her duty is treated this way, then shouldn't she be given due backing? 

Moreover, what example does this entire episode set for young women who are looking to join the police force? According to a news report, as on January 1, 2016, the representation of women police personnel is 7.10 percent at all India level. Not many women and girls are encouraged even today in our country to join the police force. Won't Yadav's ordeal deter them further from taking up service? And what of the women already training to join the ranks? Won't it demotivate them to know that the system does not reward dedication?

Though Yadav’s bravery was commendable in the matter, it is worth noting that she was ultimately simply fulfilling her duty. She told India Today, “I am no Lady Singham… I just did my duty. People say this because not too many have done this.” 

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The hierarchy in administrative ranks in India, and the power they respectively warrant, is no secret. Yadav too is familiar with it - which is why she is currently preparing for her IAS exams. She told NDTV, “If I was an IPS officer, that issue would have been resolved on the spot without getting stretched this far.” But civil service officers too, are no strangers to corruption and wrongdoing. This year in January, CBI opened an investigation into 15 IAS officers and 140 government officials on charges of corruption. Where does that leave us?

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Applauding Sunita Yadav For Her Courage Is Not Enough

Simply applauding Sunita for her actions is not enough. We need more people like her, and we need them now more than ever. But we also need to back people in uniform who do their job dedicatedly. We cannot let powers and titles shield politicians from servicewomen and men carrying out the directives of their uniforms.  Kanani and his friends must face legal repercussions of curfew violation just like any other citizen, for risking the health and lives of others in a COVID hotspot such as Surat. 

With social media, powerful people cannot simply get away thankfully, they are now closely watched and held accountable for their actions. But we also tend to suffer from a very short span of memory. Hopefully, we will remember Sunita's bravery and continue to root for her.

Tanvi Akhauri is an intern with SheThePeople.TV. Views expressed are the author's own.