No Moral Policing Please !!

Last week a daily published a picture of a group of young students surrounding a couple getting cozy at bandstand, holding placards that read ‘Atleast have a bit of shame, please get cozy at your homes!‘  Firstly what are these protesting students doing at bandstand? Moral policing?? when their duty is to be in classroom in company of books? Secondly do we really need these moral police and are they legally or in any ways empowered to take preventive actions? Do they know the parameters within which they must or should ideally work fully observing the safety norms for themselves or others? And then how about the youngsters talk at lengths  about theses social issues and smoke in public places, get into crowded trains with wet wind cheaters or go about their smart phones without a sign of remorse or even the faintest idea of the inconvenience that their indisciplinary behavior in public places causes to others. How many moral police ridicule them? Then how about the youngsters who danced their hearts out when Salman Khan was acquitted in hit and run case which claimed life of a families sole bread winner. Where were these moral police then? Did they ridicule the revelers as they did now? And then how about the youth who came out in support of Shahrukh Khan for getting into a verbal spat with a poor security worker who was doing his job honestly? Did these moral police ridicule them? Or even the recent All India Bhagchod (AIB) how many moral police ridiculed them? And worse these moral fools were not to be seen or heard protesting when some so called elitists were criticizing and opposing the Government blocking porn sites! True that a person watching porn does it in privacy but that does not make watching porn moral or ethical. So should we excuse some one because he rapes, molests or sodomizes in private? True that some or even many find such acts disgusting  but then they cannot ask some one to leave a place until they own it. Its quite likely that they may ask you to leave ! And they have an equal right. And yes if you or me find something disgusting, offensive or unwelcome I guess we know there 's police to help you out. Seek police assistance rather than take law in your own hands. And then if that's disgusting is urinating or defecating in open fine? We don't see a moral police holding placard towards a squatter! And if population density is an excuse to explain that then the same holds true for the cozy lovers.

 I remember a group of such college juveniles in Bandra who would hold placards reading ‘Go Back’ and send back every person who crossed tracks! Is there any sense of responsibility in their actions? Had there been some sense of responsible behavior probably they would have given a hand to the offender and counseled him. What if the person being returned meets with an accident? Do these juveniles have an idea that the person crossing the tracks has committed one offence and these so called educated youth forces him to commit another by asking him to return? Having motivated and selfless youth who find some time for social service can be a great asset but having an overenthusiastic unguided youth can aggravate the problem. It is very important if these youth can be educated and importantly guided in their missions and be told what not to do than what to do, be made aware of the legal implications of their acts. Tree plantation drives along roads and railway tracks can be fine but it comes along with safety issues not evident on the surface, cleanliness drives can be a great idea but then there are health and hazard issues that must be addressed, working for population control is a great national service but then it can invite ire of a few. Therefore while we encourage and appreciate the youth who are motivated and embark on a mission or a cause that’s noble they must be cautioned to do a brief homework before they actually do so. People who are willing to work in areas where there is lot of legalities involved or where there is enough man power already deployed should essentially be discouraged to go ahead and their energies be diverted towards some other field where their services are badly required. Why have moral police when we have police? Why do tree plantations in national parks, reserves and sanctuaries when it is actually needed in urban and industrialized areas rapidly losing green covers and choking with pollution? But then otherwise the youth should better concentrate towards being better students rather than to be criticized for being a bad moral police.

                                                                   - Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar, Mumbai, 01.09.2015.

PORN- not OK PLEASE



It’s not that I am a rightist. It’s not that I am a diehard fan of Narendra Modi. It’s not that I am indulging in flattery. It’s just one question that troubles me – “Is porn educating, entertaining or for that matter even titillating?” If the answer is no then why so much hullabaloo about the Government blocking some 800 odd porn sites? Some liberals have argued that a Government which attempts to regulate the media are not too far from restricting it. But then does that mean that a Government which shows no signs of regulating will essentially not restrict and will not bend towards anarchy? If we are suggesting so then it implies that we haven’t learnt our lessons well and have forgotten a dark chapter in the history of our democracy called ‘Emergency’. Someone defined fear as False Expectations Appearing Real. In this context it is very true. There’s an old saying supply creates demand. And then porn is a general term that is used to describe literature or films that that have adult content and a closer look will reveal that the subject incorporates disgusting things like animal-porn, granny-porn, child porn, albino porn, amputee porn and what not that can serve to titillate or entertain only a sick or vicious mind. Does it make any sense at all when intellectual fight it out on news channels or social networking sites for some the right to watch porn as an individual right when there are scores of issues from right to education to farmer suicides? Does it not pave way for exploitation of the weaker sections of society like women, children, and disabled, old and more importantly the poor? Are these sections not solely dependent on the Government for their protection from such exploitations? I agree that there’s a limit to which the step will serve the purpose with which it is initiated if not a total wastage but then an intellectual fighting it out as if it was a matter of life and death to shield the porn sites from being blocked is simply disgusting.

In the west there’s an established porn industry whose contents are certified by a regulating body. There’s hall of fame and an Oscar equivalent life time achievement award for porn artiste’s nay porn stars. Kay Parker, Steven Martins, Peter North are few of the porn stars who starred in porn films in the Golden Era of porn and walked away with life achievement statuettes. But then here in India the porn industry isn’t at all organized. Most of the porn is sub standard. Most of the porn clips are sneaks and peeks. Most clips are either a result of direct or indirect exploitation and may even involve blackmail, kidnap and rape. And even if it’s a porn film do we have a regulatory body and regulations to regulate the industry? And then what about the STD risk that the porn artiste is being subjected to. Let us remember that Steven Martin succumbed to AIDS at an age of 45 and it was his demise that goaded the porn industry to review its ways of functioning and introduce ways that would put the porn stars at minimum risk of contracting STD’s. But one would argue why block porn sites when the need was to regulate the production process of the product that was being displayed?  But my argument is why display a product when the regulatory norms and bodies are not in place? Are we sure that no one is being exploited to provide for our urges to view porn in secrecy? But then most of the porn is a western product where all these issues are taken care of. Fine but then are we comfortable with things like animal porn, amputee porn, granny porn, albino porn, child porn or for that matter even teacher porn? Let’s not forget that seventies and eighties are known as the golden age of porn and it soon faded away! Why? For two just one reason – Incest! When incest crept in porn and it seemed to be virtually unstoppable to the extent it went and eventually it spelled dooms day for porn which never returned in that big way ever. So if the western society could be so uncomfortable with porn would it be discreet to be liberal with porn sites here in India where even Kamasutra lays guidelines regarding do’s and don’t’s in sex. Would it be discreet to give a porn sites like teacher porn an easy access to our minds whom we train to respect teachers and hold them in highest regard? Let’s not forget porn stars of yester years like Francois Papillion and Sasha Papillion have chosen to live a life of recluse with a changed identity. In short porn industry may mint money but seldom gets you earns you respect or for that matter even acceptability. Porn sites may have freedom to make rounds of the Indian markets but certainly do not have the right to corrode our values. And if care is being taken about that I don’t see anything dictatorial or anarchical about it. If tomorrow all Indians vote to set free a notorious terrorist without trial would it be fair? Then how is it fair to give porn sites a free hand because it’s a popular opinion? And what about adolescents who would unknowingly indulge in anal /unnatural sex ignorant of the fact that unnatural sex is crime in India? With whom does the onus for misguidance lie with? ‘Cigarette smoking/Tobacco chewing causes cancer’ notice appears every time an artiste smokes on screen to warn or the viewers about the ill effects of the habit but the same precautions are not taken in case of porn. Have we seen an ‘anal sex is a crime in India as per section 377 of IPC?’ True that porn is predominantly watched by adults, true that there are provisions for child locks but then for a society that is struggling with imparting sex education, tackling pornography is a bit too much to swallow!...at least as for now!!

- Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar, Mumbai, 07 August 2015.