The moment new elected CM of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath has taken over the administration he is surrounded by controversies. Nobody’s is surprised that Yogi is involved in a controversy. This time the controversies are appearing bigger than previous ones. It’s not because they are bigger issue but because media and liberals want it to be so. We Indians can rest assure that as long as Yogi is CM of the state he will be constantly surrounded by the media driven and liberals invented controversies. I have explained this prejudice against Yogi Adityanath in my previous article, Why Can’t A Yogi? In this article I want to discuss a very touchy and emotional subject for cocktail social activists and self proclaimed progressive liberals, that is Moral Policing and Women’s Safety.
After cracking down the illegal slaughterhouses, Yogi’s government has asked Police to form a squad of women Police officials, which keep an eye on goons and hooligans who are threat to women and for society in broader perspective. Unfortunately due to lack of imagination or lack of brains that squad is named Anti-Romeo Squad on the basis that this squad will keep a watch on road side romeos and other thieves and thugs. According to me this name is killing the whole intentions and giving a bad name to Police department as well.
Many progressive thinking people and liberals have started crying over formation of this squad. They feel that this is a kind of Moral Policing which by modern standards is not acceptable. Looking at Twitter and Facebook one can see the outrage of the liberals. They do have complete right to be outraged and angry. Anyone can see that the same people who opposed Modi tooth and nail also opposed Yogi as CM of Uttar Pradesh are also opposing this squad. So, there is a pattern. Nevertheless I want to critically analyze this subject.
As a student of sociology and human psychology, I am concluding that whenever the society is governed by a morally corrupt and insensitive government, people crave for a strict, rude and ruthless government. This is exactly what happened in Uttar Pradesh. It is a well known fact that Uttar Pradesh is the most unsafe and insecure state for women to live. There is statistical data available about per capita cases lodged for rapes, assaults, violence and thefts against women. For many years, rather decades no one dared to address this issue. Almost no woman in Uttar Pradesh felt safe on the streets at any given time of the day. So on one side you have a huge issue of women’s safety and on other hand you have a corrupt regime which has hands in gloves with criminals and goons. For many years women of UP were crying and asking for help but no one was there to listen. What do you when such thing happens?
As I mentioned earlier when such a condition arises, in a democracy people and especially women tend to choose a government or a leader which will be harsh and ruthless while protecting them. In the great dark age people or tribes used to choose a ruthless and harsh leader so that they will rest assure that he will not let abusers go scott-free. Similar situation can be observed in case of Uttar Pradesh. After a decade or corrupt and ineffective governance people have chosen a ruthless, harsh and authoritative government. I don’t think anything is wrong if they do so. We can see TV anchors, reporters, journalists and pseudo liberals crying out loud that this kind of policing is against freedom of individual.
Despite of all the criticism and cry against Anti Romeo squad by journalists, pseudo liberals and self proclaimed freedom activists, I have not yet seen any woman from Uttar Pradesh who says that this is wrong. I will believe more in what the victim says rather than what others say. Won’t you?
Now, while I have discussed the situation now let’s analyze the implications of this squad and the thin line between Moral Policing and Women’s Safety.
Despite all these plus point I do have a serious criticism to make here. If the squad comprises of police officials then it will be okay. Because, Police is bound to make feel citizens safe. Preventing criminals from harassing anyone is their duty. The water gets muddy the moment some self proclaimed self righteous religious fanatics jump into the picture. It will be disastrous to have fringe elements like Bajrang Dal or VHP or any other set of goons to form a squad of their own. There have been such cases in the past and it is absolutely criminal to do that. Society can never be thrown to such elements and these people of any Dal cannot decide what’s right and what’s wrong.
Logically speaking nobody can tell anyone what’s right and what’s wrong. Hence the criticism of Moral Policing arises. To decide whether someone is committing a crime or not is the job of judiciary. The judiciary refers to the constitution. There is no mention of such policing in the constitution. So legally speaking, this anti romeo squad seems unconstitutional or extra judicial. Police can’t do anything unless a complaint is filed officially.
Hence, there is a serious threat to the individual freedom of women at stake here. Also, there are other social considerations which will play role in such activities. Remember Love Jihad? In a free country nobody can decide whom to love or whom to marry. With fringe elements running their own moral policing campaign there is serious threat that a genuine couple might get harassed. Already we have seen cases where a couple is harassed because they were talking with each other on the street. This by no means is threat to women’s safety. Even the police officials tend to cross the lines in such cases where couple are punished on the streets. I personally think it is a serious situation we are letting ourselves in.
Nobody wants women to feel unsafe and insecure in our country and also nobody wants moral policing oppressing individual freedom given to all of us by Constitution. The solution to this situation in my view is to have some legislation in the parliament which will address the concerns of women as well as concerns of rational thinkers about moral policing. Currently there is no rule under Constitution under which so called Romeos will be jailed neither there is any way to keep a check on self righteous fringe elements forming their own anti romeo squads. This is a serious concern which should be handled by the highest authorities of the country and there must a legal solution which make the Thin line between Moral Policing and Women’s safety much darker and clearer. Before the lines are drawn I am expecting more mud slinging, more morchas, more arguments and frequent open kissing festivals in protest of this moral policing all of which is not good for a healthy society although it makes democracy stronger.
India needs a Constitutional solution to make the thin line between Moral Policing and Women’s Safety much darker and clearer. We can’t live in country which comprises on individual freedom in the name of culture and personal whims.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions mentioned in this article are my personal views and I take whole responsibility of those. These views must not be related to my employer, Autodesk in any manner.
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