The news about Bangla Bhai and his band of vigilantes that has been covered by all leading newspapers over the last month or so is a case in point where the government has to do something or make someone bear the responsibility. If it does not, the public would decide upon it and express it when they have the opportunity. The question among the public is why do we retain such a large police force and why do we have to have a ministry of home affairs when someone like Bangla Bhai can do what he and his vigilantes have been doing right under their noses?

It is understandable that Bangla Bhai has gone into hiding and it may be taking the police time to apprehend him. What is not understandable is the unbelievable news that has now come to light of the activities of this Bangla Bhai that he has been carrying on , not like a bandit from hiding but with the boldness that even the law enforcing agencies like the police does not dare to demonstrate. If these stories are true, then by the most flexible interpretation of the concept of parliamentary responsibility, the minister in charge of home affairs needs to either resign or be asked by the prime minister to resign. So much for political responsibility. As for administrative responsibility, the Government needs to take action against the police officials not at the lowest rungs but against officers at much higher levels, officers as SPs or DIGs. This man and his group just did not spring from nowhere all of a sudden. There is enough evidence that they have been carrying on their dastardly acts for a period that the police officials just cannot explain without accepting responsibility.

To me, it seems that this Bangla Bhai grew in stature right under the nose or perhaps the patronage of both political leaders and the police as his actions were directed against the outlaws that both the police and the politicians were finding it difficult to control. He however grew more in stature than these politicians or the police expected. There should be an independent judicial commission to look into this and the findings of this Commission should be published so that the public knows of those among the politicians and the police who helped this Bangla Bhai attain the stature that he has.