Make Civil Army

In the current situation of the world where terrorism is extending its wings, internal security has become a very integral part for a nation. Police performs a very crucial role in this context. But indian police faces several challenges day be day in their conduct of business.

  • Number of police persons per 1000 persons is very low. This low is also contexed by the SC of India.
  • Not technological advanced.
  • Communication among police department and other department is not at par.
  • Large gap between public and police officials.
  • Insufficient Training for the modern urban problems.
  • Direct control of local politicians on the police officials.
  • No clear definition of working, what should they do or what should they not.
  • Inter state crimes.
  • Cyber crimes.
  • Cynicisms of the criminals - ie having no fear of law in committing crimes.

Citizens the first persons who are directly affected by the working or not working of police. They have their important role to play in the proper functioning :

  • Lack of cooperation among citizens for police investigations.
  • Citizens not fully awared about their rights and responsibilities.
  • Cooperation in traffic management, and other law and order management issues.

Role of police in making the cities safer for living :

  • Maintenance of Law and Order .
  • Management of various festivals, moments so that any calamities could be avoided.

As we can see there are many day to day challenged faced by police these some of them are those which are very new and technologically advanced. 

Thus there is an urgent need to look into the matter of police reforms

  • Making Citizen to police ratio better.
  • Providing department with basic amenities.
  • Making digitally connected and technologically advanced.
  • Providing good vehicles and better weapons.
  • Better training to cop up with current interstate or terrorism type of challenges
  • Public awareness and less political interference is a must in proper working of police.

We haven’t seen any reform in Police since a long time but situations has changed, now a days cybercrimes, terrorism and many other such criming are evolving for which there is an urgent need for police reforms.

Role of Media in internal security challenges

In the regions of South Asia- India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Pakistan, there is intense internal turbulence and disturbances due to rebellion movements, ethnic conflicts and religious fundamentalism. Major internal security challenges are many

Internal Security Challenges Include:

  • Terrorism / Militancy
  • Left wing extremism
  • Communal divide – it can divide us and even lead to fragmentations of nation
  • Caste and ethnic tensions
  • Organized crimes
  • Forged Indian currency notes
  • Coastal security
  • Cyber crime
  • Mushroom growth of Madrasas and religious fundamentalism [growth of deobandis /Madrasas along Indo-Bangladesh border], they are not recognized by government.
  • Illegal immigration, 12.5 lakh Bangladeshis have not gone back, entered India and staying illegally. Reduction in illegal migration, though it is going on through West Bengal.
  • Narcotics trade – smuggling and trafficking – unproductive lifestyle of people.
  • Hawala transfers (illegal money transfers)

There are several reasons for these internal security issues such as Unfriendly neighbor, weak state structure like poor governance, hopeless poverty in large numbers because of deforestation, sustenance has decreased, political insecurity like secessionism, revolutionary movements, Polarisation of society, Hardening class barriers, drug trafficking and arms, smuggling, rise in intolerance and fundamentalism [despite rise of literacy, intolerance is increasing. It has been well documented that mass media pose internal security challenges through various means such as terrorism which makes uncertain future of nation. Social media sites are very convenient, affordable and people can reach huge number of audience through these sites such as you tube, twitter, Facebook. It has been observed that terrorists normally use social networking sites to transmit messages and accomplish their dangerous targets. All anti-government groups use internet technology such as email, chat room, e group, forums, and virtual message boards to live their communication.

Role of Media

Media is considered as influential channel for effective communication. It supports in promoting the right things on proper time. It provides a real exposure to the mass viewers about right or wrong process. Media is the source of information for a culture for any societal or political issue. Whether the issue is local, regional or global, people rely and even trust on information provided to them by media. Therefore, this dimension / value of media increases its significance as an influential and instrumental tool with regards to building confidence or promoting mistrust among people on issues related to national security. This importance of media can be observed at the times of disaster of national level. Even though, sometimes, media is related with spreading false news but it is a fact that it helps to inform people about the realities as well. Media, the means of communication that reaches or influences people broadly has a significant position in the statecraft mechanism especially in period of information rebellion.

The huge influence of media in creating popular image was used subsequently by states to counterbalance their enemies and foes, internally and externally. But irrespective of the degree of independence and fairness available to the media, it has been extensively observed that media follows the nationalistic principles when dealing with matters of national security and interests. Progressively, nation states and non-state political actors have well identified the great influence of media and its use for their objectives. However, the dynamics of media impact are quite different, varying and diversified in different countries. When discussing about the Indo Pakistan security relations, media has adopted a nationalistic approach forwarding and pushing the national interests such as in wars (1965, 1971), crisis (1990 nuclear alert), border skirmishes (Kargil) or the low-intensity war (LIW) in Kashmir.

It has been established that Media and politics have a strong link in modern strategic environment. Previously, media has played the role to provide extensive information and communication between people and state, and between states but in contemporary situation, media has been transformed and broadened. Now the political actors work in the environment shaped by the media. Media shapes the perceptions of leaders and people. On the basis of these observations, the political leaders formulate the policies, especially during the situations of crisis or political changes such as in elections. Conversely, media can never be independent. Sometimes it works under the government pressure imposed through laws and media can also work under the influence of financer, as it has become a commercial industry. The role of media is mainly determined by its relationships with the state.

Media is considered as strong support which helps the state to promote its interests, objectives and goals. Since the beginning of information uprising and the use of media for attaining war objectives by other means, media is vital component in opinion making or building, creating leaders and anti-heroes, and creating monsters and enemies. Regardless of the compromise on ‘independence and integrity’, media has been used by both the states to encourage their national cause at the cost of growing hatred and acrimony. The coverage of nuclear explosions carried out by India and Pakistan in 1998 is one of the major examples in this regard where popular sentiments were emphasised and media had major role to push forward the national program. During that period, media used a nationalistic approach to highlight the state standpoint.