NAPM writes to CM Revanth Reddy, stresses need to review policing reforms

HYDERABAD : The National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM), which is a coalition of civil society organisations, wrote a letter to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday highlighting the urgent need to review policing reforms and surveillance infrastructure in the state.

Pointing out that the CM himself had been a “victim of this surveillance setup and related police harassment” during his time as Opposition leader, a team of 25 activists urged the government to consider making public the Telangana Police Manual with the list of existing policing practices.

“As reports of intelligence scandals and data leak of police apps are coming out in the open, we want the government to look into the policing reform,” s000aid independent researcher Srinivas Kodali.

“We are just questioning the human rights violations that the current policing practices are causing and the police harassment faced by the common public,” he added.

The five-page letter sent to the CM questions how digital advancements that have been brought in have violated the privacy and freedom of expression by the public. The NAPM also said that there are no mechanisms to file complaints against cops. Without a platform for feedback to the police department, “there is a high degree of arbitrary use and abuse of power”, the letter noted.

FGG for withdrawal of ‘trivial’ cases against politicians

Stating that the cases slapped against the political leaders out of vengeance are showing democracy and electoral process in poor light, the Forum For Good Governance (FGG) on Tuesday urged Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to direct the director general of police (DGP) to examine such cases and send proposals to withdraw cases that are “trivial or non-maintainable”. In an open letter to the CM, FGG president M Padmanabha Reddy said that all the 89 cases, barring two, filed against Revanth Reddy were trivial in nature. He said that 35 cases were slapped in a “routine manner” over political speeches allegedly against the police, and for conducting meetings with more people than permitted. “FGG is not generalising and recommending that all cases against all politicians be withdrawn. Our contention is that the majority of cases were booked under pressure from the ruling parties,” he said.