Jaipur, Jan 07: Prime Minister Narendra Modi graced the 58th All India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector Generals of Police, held at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur on January 6 and 7, 2024. The conference witnessed the Prime Minister discussing the recent enactment of new criminal laws, heralding it as a paradigm shift in the criminal justice system.
Emphasising the transformative nature of the new laws, the Prime Minister highlighted their foundation in the principles of ‘Citizen First, Dignity First, and Justice First’ and instead of working with ‘danda’. He urged the police force to shift from traditional enforcement methods to leveraging data for effective policing. Modi encouraged imaginative thinking among Police Chiefs to convey the emotional spirit behind these laws to various sections of society.
A key focus of the Prime Minister’s address was on sensitizing women and girls about their rights and protection under the new criminal laws. He urged the police to ensure women can work fearlessly ‘kabhi bhi aur kahin bhi’ (anywhere, anytime).
Modi underscored the importance of reinforcing a positive image of the police among citizens. He suggested the use of social media at the police station level to disseminate positive information and messages for the benefit of citizens. Additionally, he recommended using social media for advance information on natural calamities and disaster relief. Organizing sports events was proposed as a means to strengthen the citizen-police connection.
The Prime Minister urged government officials to stay in border villages, considering them as the ‘first villages’ of India, to establish better connections with the local populace.
Highlighting the success of India’s first solar mission – Aditya-L1 and the swift rescue of 21 crew members from the hijacked vessel in Arabian sea by the Indian Navy, Prime Minister said that such achievements show that India is emerging as a major power in the world. He said that Aditya-L1 success is similar to the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission. He also exuded pride in the Indian Navy’s successful operation. He added that in line with the improving global profile and increasing national strength of the country, the Indian police should transform itself into a modern and world class police force to realise the vision of a developed India by 2047.
The conference, attended by top officials including the Union Home Minister, National Security Advisor, Ministers of State for Home, Union Home Secretary, DGsP/IGsP of States/UTs, and Heads of the Central Police Organizations/Central Armed Police Forces, deliberated on critical components of national security. Discussions included the newly enacted major criminal laws, counter-terrorism strategies, left-wing extremism, emerging cyber threats, and worldwide counter-radicalization initiatives. Held in a hybrid mode, the conference saw over 500 police officers from various ranks participating from different locations across the country, continuing its tradition from previous years.
