Is India’s moral compass posing a risk to people’s right to privacy?
Where the entire world is rejoicing the freedom of 21st century, it’s hard to believe that there are
places on this earth where, there still exists an ever-present patriarchy that
frowns on women engaging in pre-marital relationships. You are looked down upon
if you wear revealing clothes or if you hang out with boys. In most parts of
India there’s a big list of other such offenses against decency and good taste.
I feel lucky that even being
born and brought up in the same society; never had to face all these. I still
remember talking about my crushes to my mom and sister, though accept, I never
shared these with my dad. However still he always tried his best to be a good
friend, a supportive and a caring father and he indeed is. Our dad often
chatted with me and my sister about the kind of a guy we would prefer to get
married to. We were never imposed anything, whether it’s our marriage, our
career or the way we dress up. And both of us are happily married today.
Who are these moral police to
decide what is good for the other person in terms of relationships or their
life? Why several parts of our country are
turning into a nanny state? Why if an adolescent is found holding hands in public,
hugging the opposite sex, going to pubs, celebrating Valentine’s day etc is known
to be posing a threat to India’s moral culture?
Year 2015 marks the
completion of 68th year of Independence. Independence means freedom and it’s
our right to live our life the way we want within the rules and regulations of
a country. Yet none of us truly have any independence to think and act as we
please!
Recently in a morality drive
called “operation Majnu” in Alfred Park Allahabad, youths were canned and were
made to do chicken squats by state cops. One thing that’s hovering my mind is
that why cops went along with media on this “Majnu Operation” Was that just a
gimmick to hog the limelight?
Incidents of vandalism and
atrocities on Valentine’s Day, 2009 Mangalore pub attack, cases of Honour
killing and now a morality drive in Allahabad and in Mumbai are few such
examples which shows, we are far from leading a free life. And on top of that
there are several activists with prehistoric mindsets who believe that it’s a
good drive to teach a lesson to the young generation who roams around in parks
and public area demonstrating PDA’s without being married to each other.
If an adult couple decides
to hang out with each other and tries to step out of those narrow-minded lines,
these moral police feel that it is traditionally their right to intervene and
set them straight. But set them straight for what? For being an adult and
choosing the man or woman they want to love or spend their time with??? If
that’s the case why a married couple in Delhi were booked for kissing at Dwarka
metro station?
Recently in another shameful
incident in Mumbai, around forty consenting couples were dragged out of their
hotel rooms by cops and were arrested for “indecent behaviour”. And the reason
it was termed “indecent” was that reportedly few among the consenting couples
were unmarried. These couples were taken to a nearby police station and were
held for several hours and some were even made to call their parents. Despite
being in private hotel rooms, the couples were charged with 'indecent behaviour
in public' and were made to pay a fine of 1,200 rupee.
Is Govt. expecting everyone
to carry their marriage certificate in their pocket? Oh I forgot, majority of people
living in India, don’t believe in getting their marriage registered. What will
happen to them now..??
From Mumbai to Allahabad,
culture vultures are infringing the privacy & imposing principles of
conduct on the freedom and rights of a people.
The question is why instead
of worrying about other serious issue like terrorism, Corruption; the govt is
wasting the manpower on moral policing? It’s a shame to say that these kinds of
regressive and talibani thinking still exists in our country. Why the cops are doubling
up as nannies? And few activists like Rahul Eswar and social activist Pandit
Ajay Gautam believe that what police did, is what a caring parent should do!!!! Paedophiles,
perverts and rapists are loose in the country, Politicians involved in rape and
watching porn in parliament get away without penalty, while our police
department is busy in teaching morality to young couples.
Privacy should be a
fundamental right unless it is a matter of safety or security. State intervening in personal freedom?? Is it really the 69th anniversary
of our Independence?? If an 18 year old has the right to vote and elect the Minister
of a state, then why they have no right to choose their partner & live life
the way they want. Dichotomy thy name is our society. The time is not far when
the state police will raid our bedrooms for indecent behaviour!!
It is rightly quoted by an American jurist William J. Brennan that "If the
right to privacy means anything, it is the right of the individual, married or
single, to be free from unwarranted governmental intrusion.” Now it is the high
time to decide, whether to oppose this infringement of privacy or keep mum as
it hasn’t happened to us yet.
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