Mangalore: Does 'Moral Policing' Justify HJV's Attack?
By Huda Farooq, Dubai
(Huda hails from Malpe and is currently a teacher in a UAE school. She studied law at VBCL, Udupi)
Jul 30: Moral values are the foundation of any civilized society. When morality is lost the society walks towards its own destruction.
Two years ago, moral policing was a national issue when a few activists attacked a pub in Mangalore. After having debated for a few months the issue silently disappeared. As they say “History Repeats”, and within a very short span a similar kind of incident in the same place has again awaken the people from their slumber.
The term 'Moral Policing' has been interpreted as some kind of voluntary police that acts in times when morality is lost.
The activists have termed their act as Moral Policing. How far is it justifiable??
Let us first analyse the present situation in India with regard to morals and ethics.
India is known for its culture worldwide. In foreign world, we proudly boast of our rich and diverse culture. Sad, but true, today the very culture is not to be found in our motherland. Our national leaders had great faith in the youth that they will carry forward this culture and make India proud.
But, today, in the name of progress and advancement we are losing those morals and values of which we were once proud of. We live an aimless life running behind brands and prices, we are so busy in planning surprises for the love of our life that we do not have time to look at our parents with affection, we cannot hear the cries of their neighbours who are in pain because of the earphones that are plugged in our ears 24/7.
The media is misleading the youth, obscenity and vulgarity has a fair play on the big screens, and youth are exposed to pornography at a very tender age.
Having studied the present situation in depth, it is felt that the youth need a serious kind of policing on them. They should be made to realize that this so called COOL culture is ending up their life in a total mess.
Now the basic question arises, who should be given the right to police them?
By now, my readers must have concluded that I am in support of the attack at Mangalore pub and the home stay in Padil…If you thought so, you are wrong.
The right of moral policing should go into the hands of those who know the meaning of moral. If you are not moral, who gave you the right to police?
Jagadish Karanth, state convenor, Hindu Jagarana Vedike said, “True, our members were there but they went there to protest. They could not tolerate the injustice and exploitation of women that is being done by certain vested interests.”
What did they do? Was that not injustice and exploitation of women?
It's true that mixed gatherings of young girls and boys in an isolated place is not a part of our culture, but who gave these self-proclaimed Moral Police the right to harass and beat them ruthlessly? Haven’t these so-called Custodians of Culture indulged in an uncultured and immoral act?
If we support their act today, then we will very soon see a day when every conflict and killing will be given the name of Moral Policing.
The job of the moral police is to guide, not to mislead. The real moral police is that which encourages people to do good and refrain from bad. This task needs no violence but wisdom. Lets protest against the cause of evils rather than letting these cause grow deeper and penetrate into the society in such a way that it would be difficult route it out. We can, of course, do this job by peaceful means and remember no person in this country has the right to take law into his own hands. We should bear in mind that we live in a democratic country which is like a huge family. Just like the eldest member in a family has the right to guide and punish, the law of the land should be entrusted with this job and not any voluntary organization.
If the family was to police, it would seem ruthless. If the society will police, it would be oppressing. So let the POLICE do the POLICING.
Hall of 'Shame':