Cause of movement, evolution of movement, organisers of movement, structure and ideology of the movement, proximate dynamics of any violent events and strategies for mobilisation and sustenance: These are some of the key questions asked by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), for the first time, to all state and Union Territory police chiefs, while seeking detailed records of post-Independence protests, particularly those after 1974 to prepare a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent mass agitations by vested interests. The directions, issued by the National Police Mission (NPM) division of the BPR&D, came four months after Union Home Minister Amit Shah instructed the BPR&D to prepare an SOP. This followed a study of all post-Independence protests, especially those after 1974, to analyse their reasons, financial aspects, final outcomes, and behind-the-scenes players.

Source: Indian Express December 28, 2025 11:33 UTC