How should you conduct your own life? Whom should you speak with? What should you think about? These are not any common questions but form the basis of a democratic culture and also of an individual. The founding fathers of the nation or modern India had high regards for these notions and that led them to establish the democratic ethos. However, almost after seven decades of national independence, it seems that these high dreams are fading and extremism and intolerance (at least in thoughts) are gradually occupying the center stage instead. What is most shocking in this respect is the formation of moral police.
According to analysts, moral police is the expression of a fascist tendency that tries to curb the individual liberty of a person and wants to impose its own guidelines as an alternative. This became prominent and earned immense power in the Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. Is the same happening in India if we take the Mangalore incident (recently happened) into account? Well, it is too early to compare the Sri Rama Sena with Gestapo but the same thing can happen within few years if clandestine support of the authority persists.
In the Mangalore incident women in the pub were thrashed bitterly but there was no casualty. However, there is a different story now. A 16-year-old college student committed suicide becoming incapable to put up with the disgrace after a group of men “caught” her dating a man from another community and handed them over to police. This incident seems to be first in the town and also one of the very few similar incidents across India. The group of men who gave rise to this incident comprised of young members.
The girl was a Hindu and was also a student of Aikala Pre-University College. She had the audacity to make friendship with Saleem, a Muslim bus conductor! Both of them were brought to Mulki Circle police station after the couple was “spotted in a secluded place”, as stated by the police.
It is not known yet whether Sri Rama Sena was involved with this incident but it’s evident that treatises sporting the need of discrimination, aversion and struggle to establish supremacy are fast gaining ground in the society.
No country or society has ever benefited through extremism. Pakistan is the latest example. India, in spite of our dislikes, may have the same future as well.
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