Aspiring journey for ideal vision of ‘Rule of Law’

This book is Jewel for the newcomers in the policing system and I will say, for students and the new generation this is a guiding light of ethical, practical, moral life. For the common person it is really a book that made them think differently about the police system in India and led the flame of changing it by bringing change in Mindset.

Duty before self, Courage, Excellence, Concern for others, Self-discipline, Self-development. These are the Slogans and moral principles formulated by Mr. Sadanand Date. when under Sadanand Date tasked with creating Force-One, Post 26/11 to give befitting reply to future terrorist attack in Maharashtra.

The book of Mr. Sadanand Date who is an IPS officer of 1990 batch Maharashtra cadre 'Varditalya Mansachya Nondi' is really an inspiring, courageous, ethical and principle led journey and it is equally enriching journey for readers from every stratum of the society. It contains eighteen chapters, and each chapter narrates various incidents of his life in ten to fifteen pages.

First chapter of the text begins from the entry of Sadanand Date into Police Service, the reason behind it and gives a small memoir of him about early experience as a budding police officer. The treatment given by the SP of Ratnagiri when he was posted for the first time is a very sarcastic and prejudiced one. However, he didn't lose the confidence and brought down the crimes in his jurisdiction gives the performing entry of Mr. Sadanand Date.

In the next few chapters, he gives his childhood struggle and shares experiences of poor class background. Also talks about how he turned from a student with poor academics to a good performing student and cracked even three exams (B.com, ICWA, UPSC) back-to-back in 1987,1989,1990. This section of the book gives truly the hardship in his life and his astute struggle (even he used to distribute newspapers) for education and learning from different teachers and his hobby of reading the books gives the story of inspiration to young generations.

The text of Vinoba Bhave's Eshawasya-Vrutti, Sthit Pradnya Darshan and Geeta Pravachane highly influenced the life of Mr. Sadanand Date. He highlighted that the reading of Herold Kunz and Serial O’donel helped him to improve his skill of organizational management. Through all the years he developed an excellent hobby of reading books and emitting them in his life. He very meticulously elaborated on how he continued his hobby of reading books in his busy career I.e., policing with the help of principle of time management.

Again, he comes back to his service experiences and details on various issues related to crimes in the 1990s. Especially tackling alcoholism and gambling in Wardha and Amravati, Naxalism and tackling alcoholism within the organization specifically in Bhandara with the help of Dr. Abhay Bang and evolving new crimes like Telgi and Harshad Mehta fraud gives the dynamic nature of the 1990s policing of Maharashtra. The incidence of how he very effectively handled the 'Police Bharati' in his district and prevented the corrupt forces. Here, he not only details these issues but gives the life lesson of building a character of patience, honesty, not succumbing to any political pressure and not getting depressed when scolded by seniors.

In the middle of the book, one encounters many good chapters giving details of importance of Z security (when in 1999 Mr. Lalkrishna Advani then home minister visited Mumbai and during this visit suddenly a complicated issue came and Sadanand Date Managed it very strategically), his perspective about the subordinate staff as a strength of police forces explained with examples which is very interesting to read.

Detailing of some critical and life learning experiences makes this book a compulsive read to every citizen of India. Horrors of 26/11 and his role in rescuing Kama hospital hostages in Mumbai gives oneself a feeling of pride and respect towards him for his courage and putting duty above life while doing service to the nation. One more analysis given by him about working in Asia's biggest slum. Dharavi and its unique law and order issues, here while writing about the social life and economy of Dharavi,he not just gives challenges of the area, but talks many more positive lessons for social cohesion and matured social system of a resource crunch section of society. The title of this chapter 'capital of contradiction' is really giving complex life in the Economic capital of India.

Then he shifts tone of the book towards detailing various police strategies in handling different disaster, which is also very informative and gives the brief of managing issues like Riot control, Bando Bast in Ganpati festival (especially the Amrit Mahotsav of Lalbagh Raja), managing the law and order during the funeral of popular leader like Balasaheb Thackray.

'Vyavastheche Antarang: Sangharsh ani Samanvay' chapter series in the book gives his experiences with honest and upright officers like Mr. Suryakant jog, Mr. Sanjiv Dayal, DIG Ramakrishnan in NPA and other senior and subordinate. That is important to read to understand the true policing not only in Maharashtra but in India. In this two-chapter series, he narrates the very tense situation of communal riot in Dhotar-kheda village in 1995 and 1998-2000 Badi Masjid conflict. His principle of 'Bhasha saumya pan bhoomika tham' gives reason behind his successfully charting path laden with many challenges.

The thought about Criminal and crimes written in the chapter 'Gunhe, Gunhegar and Police' gives his profound thought. These are detailed in a highly effective manner; it touches and even changes the perspective of looking towards criminals. Mahatma Gandhi’s 'Hate the sin and not the sinner' is a precept which, though easy enough to understand, is rarely practiced, however it is truly implemented in letter and spirit by Mr. Sadanand Date in his policing.

Around 2005 after having sufficient experience of 14 years in police service. he shifted his journey towards research and development. After getting Hanfri Fellowship under Fulbright program, He started new domain to study like economic offences and Organized crimes and their nature experience and learning in American University (Minnesota University, Carlson School of management and Hanafi school of Public Affairs., here he gives the wide understanding of differences in American policing and judicial system. From here his analysis of American society attracts the attention of the reader as he explains the reason behind the physical development of America and still why it is one of the highly unsatisfied or unhappy societies. While stating this he didn’t forget to mention the importance of ideal and spiritual richness of India. This kind of writing by Date makes one to take many things and life learning lessons from his life.

In the end of the book, after a brief but important discussion on dealing with the media, he gives a very succinct suggestion for reforming the police system. which is really a fresh perspective of new and modern policing. The burden of reforming does not lie only with the person sitting on the top of the Police system but also with the Society and Political system. First need of changing the attitude of corruption, not always looking at the police system through the prism of bribes and bribery and enforcing the ideal standard of society in policing lies mostly with society.

To sum up the thought and life philosophy of Mr. Sadanand Date, these lines taken from Greek philosopher are very apt,

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can
And wisdom to know the difference.

Varditalya Mansachya Nondi
Writer - Sadanand Date (commissioner of police MBVV)
Publisher - Samkalin Prakashan
Pages -144, Price - Rs. 200
(Availble on Amazon)

- Anil Mhaske, (ex-IFS, IPS)
anilmhaske22@gmail.com

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