The raid by Mumbai police in Malwani on 40 unsuspecting couples reeks of complete lack of common sense. Earlier, they were rapped on the knuckles for allowing a liquor racket to flourish right under their nose, and many of them were suspended.
As a mother of an adult daughter raised lovingly to think for herself independently, wisely and responsibly, I feel bad for the poor victims of this boorish act. As the saying in Hindi goes: खिसियानी बिल्ली खम्भा नोचे!
Apparently, these ‘guardians’ of the flimsy moral fabric of our educated society had been under fire for ineptness, so they set out to notch up brownie points by raiding soft targets like consenting adults in their privacy! Crying out that they were indulging in “indecent behaviour in a public place” is just a hogwash. A few of these “custodians of morality” can be found languishing drunk at brothels for freebies – but who will police THEM?
I suggest that all those victims get together and hit back! File a counter complaint against the police to:
(a) Prove that they caught them in a ‘public’ place.
(b) Prove that they caught them in an ‘indecent’ act.
(c) Trespassing on private space which these couples had rightfully paid the price for.
(d) Harassing of legally adult, consenting couples with illegal arrest, confinement, insult, injury (perhaps).
(e) Public humiliation.
I’m sure a good lawyer will come up with the appropriate sections of our law to slap on these uniformed Lotharios.
The parents of the harassed boys and girls need to do a re-thinking. Why are most of the arrested youngsters scared of their parents learning of their dalliance? Why is that fear driving a girl to threaten suicide? The shame should be upon the cops, not the couples doing what comes naturally to all living beings.
I pray for these young people to have the courage to stand up for their right and face up to their families that might condemn them out of dated value systems ingrained in their minds. It is entirely their personal matter. Is it not voyeuristic to barge in on someone’s privacy? The law does not prohibit consensual sex between adults. They were not exhibiting their act, not making a public spectacle. They were well within legal parameters. They should have joined forces to stand their ground, together, and fought this imbecile intrusion in their privacy.
There have always been people of all ages and social strata having sex outside of marriage. Earlier it used to be taboo to admit it or acknowledge in public for societal norms. Today, people are stepping out of their self-imposed cocoons of silent, covert lives to face reality with more honesty.
Our youngsters are questioning the double standards of the society with brutal candour and we are obliged to give them the truth. We have to change with this tidal wave, become understanding and accepting of a fundamental need of all living beings, as long as we’re not infringing on anyone’s fundamental liberty and rights.
The law accepts live-in relations. Then why should these cops be allowed to get away with trespassing, and infringement of civil liberty and fundamental rights of citizens?
Lets just trust our education and wisdom, imparted to our youngsters, and let them choose, grow, free and healthy. Support and guide, not terrorise them into taking wrong, even dangerous steps. If they trust us, they will come to us for more of the same.
(Harkiron Kaur is a freelance writer, editor and content researcher. She is a loving mother to a truant child, rebellious daughter to a Hitler mom, and hates mosquitoes, errant drivers, and bad grammar)
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