New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR\&D) to prepare a standard operating procedure aimed at preventing future mass agitations described as driven by vested interests. The move was announced at the National Security Strategies Conference-2025, organized by the Intelligence Bureau in New Delhi.
According to officials, the BPR\&D will review major protests since 1974, examining their causes, financial backers, and long-term outcomes. The study will also look into the involvement of behind-the-scenes groups. Shah has asked for financial investigation agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, Financial Intelligence Unit-India, and the Central Board of Direct Taxes to be involved to trace monetary aspects linked to these agitations.
The Home Minister has also instructed that state police departments provide case files and reports from their Crime Investigation Departments to support the analysis. Based on the findings, a nationwide SOP will be developed to guide authorities in handling future protests.
In addition, Shah called for a parallel study on religious congregations to identify factors behind incidents like stampedes, with the aim of creating protocols for safer crowd management. Agencies such as the National Investigation Agency, Border Security Force, and Narcotics Control Bureau have also been tasked with framing specific strategies to address Khalistani extremism and criminal networks in Punjab.
The directive reflects a shift toward centralized monitoring of dissent in India, raising important questions for a democracy where protest has long been a constitutionally protected form of expression.
