In a society where influential people are encouraging aggressive and violent behaviour, the police ultimately become the “anvil for the beating of all society's problems”, Director-General of Police K. Aravinda Rao has said.
Delivering a lecture here on Tuesday on “Social Order and Civil Society” in memory of Jandhyala Dakshina Murthi, a physician and a former municipal chairman, Mr. Aravinda Rao said that the violence orchestrated by people in the political field having the “no-holds barred approach” had to be ultimately handled by the police.
Quoting Sanskrit verses extensively, he said that it was not enough if the law and order machinery was alright. Several social factors contributed to its maintenance. Social values were imbibed through the guidance of the parents, in educational institutions, through religion and finally from society and social peer groups. “Only when there is failure at all these levels the law and order machinery comes into the picture. Law and order machinery should be the last resort and not the first resort for the establishing of social order,” he opined.
Stating that globalisation of economy, culture and religion were leading to special types of tension, he said certain groups operating in forest areas were taking up the cause of tribals. “Many self-styled saviours of the tribals have emerged with their own private agenda and there is no one to counter them,” he said, making an oblique reference to the problem of Left wing extremism.
Globalisation or religion was leading to the acceleration of tensions where religion was reaching beyond boundaries. Systematic efforts to spread religious activities were leading to increase in social tensions. The consequence of such tensions was often very serious and the security forces were stretched to the maximum, he observed.
He said the panacea to this was that the civil society and intellectuals should speak out against forces trying to divide society. The task of civil societies was to unite society, he said.
Acharya Nagarjuna University Vice-Chancellor Y.R. Haragopal Reddy presided. Memorial trust vice-chairman Manganti Subramanyam welcomed the gathering. Former Mayor Jandhyala Shankar was present.
