Reality Check
Our society has seen immense progress; from economic and social backwardness and draconian
traditions and practices like sati pratha, we have now managed to uplift our
society and achieve significant growth and development, both social and
economic. However, even 75 years after attaining independence, India is still
shackled by numerous social and political evils and circumstances that are
posing a threat to the future well-being of our society and country.
One of the many things that infuriates me about our society is the concept of “moral
policing” that has been prevalent in the country since decades and has been
highlighted through several incidents in the recent years. Moral policing is
essentially vigilantism veiled by the ‘need to protect our culture’. It takes
place when a group of vigilantes and sometimes even the police or the
government decide to enforce morality and cause destruction of life and
property in the name of protecting their culture, religion or morals. There
have been various instances in India wherein innocent people have lost their
lives or suffered severe abuses as a result of moral policing. It includes
cases of vandalism, mob lynching, and sometimes even terrorism. Often, these
acts have no logical or legal basis and can prove fatal because of the presence
of mob behavior. When the protectors of the law, the police engage in such
moral policing, it uses Section 292 to 294 of the Indian Penal Code to justify
such acts, and hence it often leaves no scope for a legal remedy for the
victims.
Another very important and often talked about issue prevalent in our society that needs
urgent redressal is crimes and discrimination against women. Patriarchy and
gender bias has existed in our society since times immemorial, and has been
passed on from generation to generation. Women are seen as the weaker gender,
and are expected to be submissive to men. They’re treated as inferior to men,
are not provided the same opportunities as them, and are discriminated against
in almost every aspect and field. Not only has this hindered women’s
development throughout centuries, it has also made them victims of sexual
assault, rape, domestic violence, female foeticide and other such heinous
crimes. Such crimes are increasing at an alarming rate, day by day.
Almost every problem in our country is, directly or indirectly, related to the high rate of
illiteracy as well as the backward outlook of the people. Consequently, a high
literacy rate paired with a well-developed and modern education system can help
resolve a great deal of our problems. Moral policing primarily exists in our
country due to the regressive mentality of the people, including the government
and the police. They fail to acknowledge the concept of “live and let live” and
the right to life as well as the right to privacy of each individual. No
well-read and sophisticated person would lynch others in the name of enforcing
morality.
Similarly, no such well-read individual would commit crimes against women or discriminate against
them. The Indian society must be freed from the shackles of a patriarchal mind
set, and our women must be given the same opportunities, respect and rights as
men. This will only be achieved if each citizen is literate, and is provided an
open and positive environment right from childhood where he/she can develop the
right kind of ideas about the society and the world and foster a respect for
each and every fellow human being.