Tuesday, 13 March 2012

INCIDENCE OF MORAL POLICING IN KERALA ON THE INCREASE – WHY THIS KOLAVERI?


Solitary cases of moral policing have been occurring in many parts of Kerala for the past couple of  years.  Recently there is a spurt in these incidents which  in one case resulted  in the murder of a person in Kozhikkode district.  This incident which was in a corollary of moral policing cases, has shaken the  conscience  of people of Kerala. The deceased was Shaheed Bawa, a resident of Kodiyathur in Kozhikkode District.  He used to pay visit to a house known to him where there were many ladies.  While he was returning after visiting that house on that fateful day, he was accosted by a mob of moral police consisting of 15 persons who started questioning him.  The questions asked by them were why he is going to that house quite often , whether he is related to them etc.  Inspite of replying that that house is known to him, they tied him to a pole and resorted to continued beating on him which continued till next morning.  On hospitalization,he  died instantaneously and police have registered case against  15 persons involved.  

In another incident involving moral police that had taken place in Thodupuzha, Kerala,  an army personnel who was going in his car with his sister and mother was waylaid by a gang of moral police who  had started questioning about who are the ladies accompanying him.  Inspite of his replying that it is his sister and mother, they did not relent and was about to manhandle him when the passers-by intervened which led to the withdrawal of that gang from the scene. 

In another incident that had taken place as far back as March,2010 those acted as moral police were Muslim League workers. When Rajesh Joseph, Proprietor of Popular Service Station was going in a car with his mother he was accosted by a gang.  They  questioned him as to who is the lady with him.  Even when he replied that it is his mother they did not withdraw  but tried to manhandle him.  When public came to his rescue, the moral police had to retreat from the scene.  But since they were exposed before the public, they took revenge on Rajesh by attacking his house in the night causing heavy damage to it.  Even though police had registered case against the culprits recently due to the pressure exerted by Muslim League, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has ordered withdrawal of the case against them. Now Rajesh  has decided to move the court for justice. The list of cases of moral policing is not complete with this.
If such a situation develops wherein one cannot travel either with his wife, sister, daughter or mother as the case may be and if he has to satisfy moral police regarding their relationship to him, it amounts to taking law into one’s hand which, if allowed to go on unchecked,    will only lead to anarchy and chaos. Thus it only stands to reason that such tendencies should be firmly dealt with by an iron hand to see that it will not re-occur.
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