DailyPost 2847
ZERO TOLERANCE – ETERNAL LIP SERVICE
Zero tolerance is bandied around as a panacea to all problems or as an escape route when you are caught in tricky situations. When actions don’t act up consistently, then this all purpose tool is put into action. Unfortunately, the media has never asked what it means exactly and how it would be implemented. It is tried to be used in the very same manner as justice, equality, dissent and what not. In reality, zero tolerance is even worse, as the people who are enforcing in areas indicated are also unaware about it. The example of crime against women and hit and run cases are perfect examples.
Does the police know what zero tolerance means with regards to crime against women? Has there been any worthwhile discussion and brainstorming in this regard, leading to a concrete document or a blueprint. Has the blueprint been translated into a SOP which has been put to use by any state police force? If yes, what has been the impact thereof? Unfortunately, nothing of this nature has ever happened in this country. Is it more of a war cry? Leave aside any action in this regard, the meaning itself can be discussed till the time cows come home.
Does it mean that prevention would be of such a level that crimes of the nature indicated would not be allowed to happen? A tall order indeed. What would be the resources and expertise required to meet that end. It would also mean that in case of an eventuality of such a case happening, legal enforcement will break loose on the accused and would be meted out with the harshest punishment in the shortest possible time. On the contrary, if zero tolerance means, the nature of action to be taken once the crime has taken place, to make it a model of deterrence for prospective offenders, then that needs to be officially expressed with clarity and taken forward with all earnestness to the desired result in a professional manner.
None of the two seem to be the case. Zero tolerance hangs in mid-air as far as the governance in this country is concerned, whatever might be the field. It is not in any of our laws, executive orders or in enforcement directions. It keeps appearing in the media to give a nice feeling of extreme sincerity to the masses, when actually nothing exists. In one of the most recent uses of this term, Maharashtra CM used it in the BMW brat man made accident case in Mumbai. What has then been happening with regards to action in this field since the infamous Pune Porsche man made accident took place on the 19th of May, 2024, when there is enough and more evidence that every stakeholder was compromised to start with.
ZERO TOLERANCE IS A CLICHE WHICH HAS NO ENFORCEMENT OR INVESTIGATION MEANING.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.