Everyone is equal in the eyes of law and everybody needs to follow law. But is it really true? Is everyone following the law, especially those who have the duty to implement it?
Many times, we have seen that police and traffic police personnel are riding bikes without wearing helmets or tripling on a bike or talking on phone while driving and the question that pinches us is, ‘who will fine them or punish them?’
Well, a politician from Hyderabad named Amjed Ullah Khan who is from Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) has started a campaign #PracticeWhatYouPreach and its main focus is to see whether the policemen, specially traffic cops are following the rules or not.
For almost a week now, Amjed has constantly been posting photos and videos of police personnel who are violating the rules. He is tweeting them to the Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K T Rama Rao and Telangana DGP Anurag Sharma.
@TelanganaDGP Common Citizen wearing Helmet but see your police Pahelwan at Paradise Circle Secunderabad @HYDTP @CPHydCity @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/Q2zU12dp5v
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 3, 2017
The response by common public is overwhelming; they are also posting photos under the same hashtag and keeping the authorities in the loop while sharing pics.
@TelanganaDGP Chaderghat Police Station Constable spotted at Muslim Maternity Hospital Osmanpura without Helmet.@KTRTRS @CPHydCity @HYDTP pic.twitter.com/MYNJsTjAzx
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 4, 2017
Amjed tells TNM,
“I can’t say that it’s my campaign anymore. So many people have joined in, and my WhatsApp chats are flooded. I have been sent more than 300 photos in the last few days alone.”
@TelanganaDGP One more Police Pahelwan spotted at Darulshifa road without helmet..who will cancel his licence @KTRTRS @HYDTP @CPHydCity pic.twitter.com/tYTlWOg906
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 3, 2017
The tweet also reveals the time and location when the photo was clicked, leaving no scope of any excuse from the officials.
@TelanganaDGP One more Police Pahelwan spotted at Madanapet Hanuman Galli at 11:00 PM on 3rd Aug.@KTRTRS @CPHydCity @HYDTP who will check pic.twitter.com/IA5CEcFhz7
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 4, 2017
@TelanganaDGP One more #PolicePahelwan spotted at Azampura RUB at 12:30 PM today….Who will score their points.@KTRTRS @CPHydCity @HYDTP pic.twitter.com/NxEdv6EYGb
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 4, 2017
On the question of how it all started, he said,
“There was a lot of discussion about how the Hyderabad traffic police was issuing several challans everyday, much to the inconvenience of commuters. The roads in the city are already terrible, and the Metro Rail work has made things harder. At such a time, instead of managing the traffic, policemen are busy issuing challans. College students say that there were situations where they were issued two challans in a single day.”
@TelanganaDGP Policemen spotted without Helmet at Darussalam on 7th Aug 2017 at 11:30 AM@KTRTRS @CPHydCity @HYDTP#PracticeWhatYouPreach pic.twitter.com/LOJrA0CCjH
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 7, 2017
Amjed also objects to the high amount of challan; for example, the fine for violating “helmet rule” is Rs. 2,000. He further says,
“If a student pays Rs 2,000, his entire pocket money for the month will be done. Instead, the police should focus on awareness campaigns promoting road safety.”
@TelanganaDGP one more #PolicePahelwan spotted at Moghalpura Police Station road.Who will count his points…?@KTRTRS @CPHydCity @HYDTP pic.twitter.com/yK9Rpzuzne
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 4, 2017
Amjed also talks about instances where fines were issued in a wrong manner or which could have been avoided on the basis of humanity, such as when a person was in a hurry to purchase medicines for his father. In his words,
@TelanganaDGP Ek aur Police Pahelwan spotted at Rajender Nagar Circle,feel the difference on both sides common man wearing Helmet @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/Nz1ndU7PQJ
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 3, 2017
“They fine us for not wearing a seat belt, but I don’t see a single person in a minister’s convoy wearing one. They constantly fine us for not wearing a helmet, but do nothing when policemen ride around without one. I decided that enough is enough, and it was time to show them the mirror.”
@TelanganaDGP One SI spotted without Helmet at Pahadi Shareef to Shamshabad Road on 5th Aug at 3:00 PM…Who will count his points.@KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/soOVXM3e5R
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 5, 2017
He alleges that policemen issue 100 challans a day just to fulfill their targets.
“They are being given a target to fulfill, so that they can fill up the empty coffers of the Hyderabad police department.”
@TelanganaDGP Ek Aur Police Pahelwan spotted at Purani Haveli road on 4th Aug at 10:05 AM with no Helmet. @KTRTRS @CPHydCity @HYDTP pic.twitter.com/mo1v0wg8mZ
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 4, 2017
He also says that traffic personnel are not punished even after the proofs are provided which is why he resorted to social media. He further said,
“Since I’m tagging KTR and the DGP directly, it has a much bigger impact. The police’s social media handles are even responding to me now, after the DGP took notice of my tweets.”
@hydcitypolice https://t.co/DQwn963L3G
— DGP TELANGANA POLICE (@TelanganaDGP) August 6, 2017
@cyberabadpolice https://t.co/JoQgxFzSIR
— DGP TELANGANA POLICE (@TelanganaDGP) August 6, 2017
Sarcasm can be felt when he said,
“Just like the traffic police are worried about us, we are also worried about them. They should also be safe, and not die in accidents.”
In Hyderabad, the penalty point system was introduced last month and has been implemented from August 1. As per this system, different traffic violations attract different points and if someone scores 12 or more penalty points, his license will be suspended for a year.
@TelanganaDGP Lo ek aur #PolicePahelwan spotted without Helmet at Vijayanagar Colony…..? Who will note points @KTRTRS @HYDTP @CPHydCity pic.twitter.com/yWRcCN8n6K
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 4, 2017
Amjed asks whether the same system will be applied to the policemen who break rules or not. He talks further about his campaign,
“A democracy is of the people, by the people and for the people, and police officers are not exempt from this. We have just started the campaign, but we are planning to do much more.”
@TelanganaDGP One more Police Pahelwan spotted on Charminar road without Helmet breaking rules ,Will @HYDTP @CPHydCity take action @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/kGFM95ErwU
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) August 3, 2017
He is also thinking of posting large banners in the city which will feature photos of policemen breaking the rules. He said,
“Since the law is equal for everyone, we are asking them to change themselves, and practice what they preach. Our demand is that any police officer who gets issued more than three challans should be suspended.”
He concludes by saying this,
“The government has given helmets along with each ‘blue colt’ vehicle, but policemen never use it. If you are working for my safety on the roads, you should lead by example.”
Do you support the movement?
