Outright Breakdown of Home Ministry
by Ajay Maken
Former Union Minister and Member of the upper house of Indian parliament
Union Government of India, especially the Ministry of Home Affairs, is failing to fulfil its responsibilities. It is unbelievable that on some very serious issues the MHA has been acting against the fundamental principles of governance.
The most serious issue is that the Chapter on Agitations is removed from the Annual BPR&D Reports. Since 2017, the data on protests is no longer published. The reason given was that NCRB is publishing this data under the "Offenses Against Public Tranquillity" category, so BPR&D will no longer release it. How can the Government construe each agitation to be a crime? Are we a Police State or a functional Democracy?
At present, the farmers’ protest is ongoing. In Punjab, farmers have been removed. Earlier, BPR&D reports used to publish full details of protests — how many took place in which state. This raises a question: Are protests considered crimes? When the deprived and the oppressed raise their voices democratically, do they fall under the category of crimes? Are the farmers of our country criminals? The protest chapter should be reinstated in BPR&D reports, and it should be removed from the crime category.
Under the current ruling dispensation, National Capital is fast becoming the Crime Capital of India. Delhi Police comes under the Union Home Minister. The central government spends Rs 11,000 to 12,000 crore on Delhi Police. Yet, Delhi remains the crime capital. National Crime Records Bureau data says the rate of crimes against women in the country is 66.4%, whereas in Delhi it is 144%. Delhi ranks number 1 in the country.
The rate of crimes against children is 36% nationwide, and 134% in Delhi — again, Delhi ranks number 1. For crimes against the elderly, the national rate is 7.5%, and in Delhi, it is 114%. Delhi is once again number 1. Pending cases of crimes against women in Mumbai are 31,000, in Kolkata 15,000, in Bengaluru 18,000, in Hyderabad 10,000 and Delhi their number is 77,000. According to NCRB data, 29,000 cases were pending in 2016, which have now increased to 77,000. Pending cases of crimes against children in Mumbai are 10,000, in
Kolkata 3,000, in Bengaluru 3,000, in Hyderabad 1,600 and in Delhi their number is 19,000. Isn’t the crime climate of Delhi is pathetic?
India has the largest youth population. Today, this youth is falling victim to drug addiction. Between 2010 and 2014, there were 33,000 drug-related incidents. In the 2022 NCRB report, these incidents rose to 1,15,000. These numbers are increasing every year. In 2014, the rate of drug-related incidents per lakh population was 2.7%, which increased to 8.7% in 2022. In Delhi, 277 NDPS cases were recorded in 2015. This rose to 1,779 cases in 2024.
I want to highlight the situation with synthetic drugs — those made in labs and extremely dangerous. ATS drugs: 1,224 kg seized in 2022; 8,200 kg in 2024. Dopamine: 3 kg in 2022; 65 kg in 2024. MDMA: 63 kg in 2022; 195 kg in 2024. LSD: 0 kg in 2022 and 2023; 1 kg in 2024. Mephedrone: 2,872 kg in 2022; 3,559 kg in 2024. Mescaline: 2 kg in 2022; 25 kg in 2024. In just two years, the number of synthetic drugs seized has increased by 20-22 times. It is well known that drugs come first, then gang wars, and then terrorism. When NDPS
rate in the country is 8.7, it is 40 in Punjab and 74 in Kerala.
In Punjab, drugs are entering via drones. Gangsters are operating from inside jails. Police stations in Punjab are being attacked with grenades. People are being targeted and murdered. Since 2022, 15 major incidents have occurred, including grenade attacks using RPG launchers, explosions, and murders linked to groups like Babbar Khalsa International and Khalistan Zindabad Force.
In these cases, AK-47 rifles, block pistols, and Arges grenades are being found and used. These same grenades were used in the Mumbai and Parliament attacks. The question is: how are these weapons entering our country and being used in Punjab? This is a deep-rooted conspiracy from across the border that must be stopped.
One more very serious issue is not holding the census. When Congress-led UPA government was in centre. it began preparing for the 2011 Census in 2009. But present government seems disinterested in go ahead with census. It's important to understand why the Census is essential. All our public welfare programs are based on Census data. In 2011, India’s population was 121 crore; now it's estimated at 146 crore — a 25 crore increase.
Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 70% of rural and 50% of urban populations are eligible as beneficiaries. A new Census would mean 15 crore poor people would benefit from NFSA. By not conducting the Census, you are denying them their rights.
Without the Census, we cannot determine the right beneficiaries. All our surveys will be flawed. That is why the Census must happen on time. Census fund lapse percentages is huge. In 2020–21 85% of this fund lapsed. In 2021–22 86% of the find could not be utilised. In 2022–23 85%, in 2023–24 65% and last year 58% of this fund lapsed. One can understand that owing to COVID, 85% Budget lapsed in 200-21, but why after that year. Looking at this year's budget, it seems unlikely the Census will happen. As a result, the poor of
this country will be deprived of government schemes.
Various schemes for India’s border infrastructure are also in doldrums. Under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP), the 2024–25 budget allocation was Rs 335 crore. Out of this, only Rs 110 crore was used; Rs 225 crore, or 67%, lapsed. Under the Border Infrastructure and Management Scheme, 10.5% of the budget lapsed in 2023–24 and 19% lapsed in 2024–25. In the last three years, barely Rs 3,000 crore has been spent. This year, a budget of Rs 5,590 crore has been set. In the last 7 years, the Ministry of Home Affairs
has been unable to spend Rs 17,697 crore meant for border infrastructure and police modernization.
Under the 4th Modernization Plan of the Central Armed Police Forces (2022–2026), Rs 1,523 crore was allocated. It is now 2025, and only Rs 287 crore of that has been spent. A report says that there is an 11% vacancy rate in our police forces. In paramilitary forces, there are 1,10,000 vacant positions. When the Union Budget is 7.8 % more than the last years RE and the MHA 2025-26 BE is 5.8% more than the 2024-25 RE, then why is there a 7.5% reduction in Disaster Management and Relief? The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has a vacancy of 23%. With global warming increasing, how can we justify budget cuts in disaster management?
Government of India’s failures on all these fronts are jeopardising nation’s development plans.
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