STOP THIS NEW LOW FORM OF CORRUPTION
It was not so long ago, I remember, that we were queuing up at banks in order to withdraw very limited amounts of money per week, thanks to the sudden demonetisation. People actually died standing for hours in the long lines which stretched for miles. At the end of the day, what should have set off a cataclysmic rage against the government actually went in its favour powering it to election victory after victory. It was the simple fact that people were willing to forgive anything as long as it was seen to counter corruption, the bane of our existence. The rich were being made to pay by losing their ill-gotten wealth. Bribery would lessen, people thought. This government needs our support.
And indeed, it seemed that there were less visible signs of corruption all around. I say `visible’ because I have no empirical evidence to prove that corruption actually lessened. But there did seem to be a concerted effort to root out the corruption which had become synonymous with UPA II. And if this attempt had continued howsoever imperfectly, I would have no problem. But what we see today is other forms of corruption surfacing like the really appalling one being fostered by the anti-Romeo squads, the brainchild of the UP government .
The other day, much to my shock, a television channel aired footage of a sting operation in which the policemen who were in these squads were telling the reporter that for a sum, they could file false cases using their anti-Romeo squad powers to fix rivals. The rates ranged from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh.
In the first place, why on earth did the government feel the need to set up the unfortunately named anti-Romeo squads? I am not diminishing the reality of crimes against women and the need to crack the whip against this. I am only questioning why a special squad needs to be deployed for this, over and above the normal police.
Does this mean that the police were not giving this matter due attention in the past? That apart, how on earth does anyone determine who is a Romeo – to mangle the very meaning of the immortal hero in Shakespeare? I remember a case just after this horrible squad was set up of the police accosting a young man waiting outside his girlfriend’s college to pick her up after classes. There was nothing untoward about his conduct but both were humiliated publicly and the man made to do sit-ups holding his ears, that peculiarly Indian form of punishment. I gathered later that the couple were let off but imagine the horror of being accosted in public for the sin of being in love and wanting to be together. This was clearly harassment and the anti-Romeo worthies should have been arrested. But, of course, they went about their merry way to harass others.
The gau-rakshak drive too has become a source of power and corruption for many. It is either pay up or we will haul you off to jail to face harsh penalties and imprisonment or we think you are a cattle smuggler and will now have to thrash you, even kill you.
In the anti-Romeo squad corruption, the policeman concerned can even be heard giving the reporter tips on how the rival can be entrapped. Get him drunk and then call us and we will pick him up and lock him away for at least three months. What next? Money for advice on how to entrap rivals? I would not be too surprised.
I would like to know which part of our culture and tradition says that young people cannot fall in love with whoever they want. Or indeed that there is any moral arbiter who can decide how we will live our lives, or what we will eat, drink or wear. How superior we consider ourselves to our neighbour where all sorts of personal restrictions are put on people. And yet, we seem to be trying to sink below the lowest common South Asian denominator.
These special squads and vigilante groups have come to assume some sort of special powers and I blame the government for this. It is no use saying every now and then – stop all this nonsense, you naughty lads. This is seen as nothing more than indulgent disapproval by these lumpen elements, they will not stop their depredations. I also find it passing strange that these so-called squads and vigilantes seem to be all-pervasive, popping up to stop alleged cattle smugglers, couples and Romeos with such alarming frequency. I can only imagine that it is good business now.
The NDA government came to power on much loftier ideas. This is a shabby and dangerous sideshow which can only sully India’s image as we try to enlarge our footprint on the global stage. It is a terrible message to our young people, our minorities. Our message should be that we are modern, progressive, inclusive and politically cohesive. But at the same time, I see foreign media vehicles picking up stories of these thugs beating up innocent people, I see the cow as the priority over economic growth and inclusion and growing crime even as we ask people to come and Make in India. Tell me honestly, if you had money to spare and you saw all this, would you not think twice before coming and setting up shop here. I certainly would.
But, I am ever the optimist. I still think it is not too late to pull back, put an end to this poisonous progression. It is quite simple, let the police do its work, disband these toxic squads, and let us get back to the real issues which so enthused people when this government came to power. I won’t go into all of them because I think the government has already told us about them long and loud. We did not sign up for gau rakshaks, anti-Romeo squads, vigilantism of any sort, dietary or dress restrictions or most of all for new forms of corruption. India must rewind to 2014 and the atmosphere of hope that seemed to captivate the nation.