Addressing the trainee officers of Indian Police Service (IPS) at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) here, he said they have a vital role to play in nation building through enforcement of laws.

 

"Quintessence of democracy does not lie in the ballot box. It lies in the laws made by people who are elected through those ballot boxes. You are the enforcers of laws. Laws are not as good as they are made. Laws are as good as they are executed and implemented and the service that people are able to get out of it," he said after reviewing the colourful Dikshant Parade.

 

He told the IPS probationers that if they fail to enforce laws in letter and spirit in which they were made they are as good or as bad as they were made.

 

A total of 132 officer trainees of 73rd batch of IPS and 17 officers of Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal passed out of the academy after 46 weeks of phase-1 training.

 

Darpan Ahluwalia, a Punjab cadre woman IPS probationer led the passing out parade. Hailing from Mohali and an MBBS degree holder from the Government Medical College, Patiala, she is the sixth woman to lead the parade at the academy in more than seven decades.

 

Academy Director Atul Karwal said Darpan Ahluwalia is also the overall topper of the basic course phase-1 training that include indoor and outdoor courses.

 

Doval advised the trainee officers to develop a national perspective to really contribute their mite. "Do not forget that you are for India and India is for you. Interest of India should be supreme," he said.

 

The NSA said that service of people was the greatest service not only from the point of view of nation building but also from the point of view of national security. "Wars ceased to have become effective instruments for achieving their political and military objectives.

 

They are too expensive and unaffordable and at the same time there is uncertainty about their outcome. It is civil society that can be subverted, can be divided and manipulated to hurt the interests of a nation."

 

He also emphasised the need to maintain internal security. "If internal security fails, no country can be great and if people are not safe and secure and can't rise to their potential, no country can grow," he said.

 

The NSA told the police officers that they not only have to enforce the laws but they are also supposed to protect and maintain peace and order in 32 lakh square km. He said the policing also extends to border management in 15,000 km border areas with Pakistan, China and other neighbouring countries and with different types of security related issues.

 

Doval pointed out that SVPNPA has trained 5,700 officers since 1948 and many among them excelled and brought honours and laurels. He said they were sources of inspiration as they led central and state forces and played a vital role in national building in the post Independence period.

 

"They led brave men and women of about 21 lakh persons in states and at Centre. 35,480 of the bravehearts sacrificed their lives. They were the great leaders who were able to inspire and make people give the highest sacrifice. These are the qualities of leadership that we expect from each one of you," said Doval, who also passed out from the same academy.

 

Mentioning that 40 of the IPS officers who passed out from the Academy were martyred, he said they all played a similar role in nation building. "You too have a great role ahead. You will all see the 100th year of India's independence and beyond. It will be a different India at that time. India is on the march and you will be leading these police forces at a time when India will have a new place in the international arena," he added.