Civil unrest is the making of the civilians (politicians and administrators) and they must shoulder the responsibility to control it with their resource, the police. The current curfew plan is a master-stroke to prevent the Army from staying away from unruly mobs and ensuring its involvement abinitio. However, given the drawbacks, the premature commitment of troops as part of the police curfew plan must be scrapped.
Introduction
The curfew plan, evolved by the civil police post the 2010 protests that rocked the Valley, envisages the occupation of cut-off points by the Army whenever the civil police activate the plan ahead of expected unrest or protests. The Army, blinded by its zeal for synergy, has no say in the activation of the curfew plan and readily complies. While it may seem a matter that is trivial when we encourage police-led rehearsals in the absence of violent mobs to confront, it is the pragmatic analysis of the likely repercussions that must be taken note of.
