Is Silchar a Taliban ruled city? MPs, MLAs, Intellectuals, wake up or it will soon become one: An open letter

By Anirban Roy Choudhury On October 31, 2018 - 7:32 pm

Martin Luther King Jr. in one of the most famous open letters of all time wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Justice everywhere is the backbone of any democracy. It is the pillar on which each and every civic society stands on.

Since last few days, a couple of videos are doing rounds on Social Media, that is quite disturbing in nature. But the ones shooting the videos were seen celebrating. Basically, we have become a society which celebrates the mob-heckling of a couple of girls in the heart of the town Ambikapatty – the education corridor of Silchar, where stands Ramanuj Gupta College, Adharchand High School and where many professors reside.

Before I write any further I would like to bring to each and every reader’s attention what the superintendent of police Rakesh Roushan and deputy commissioner S Lakshmanan had to say about moral policing in general, and this case in particular:

Rakesh Roushan said, “Only police officials have the right to police in any society. We will take strict action against those who resort to moral policing as it is against the law. If we receive a complaint we will take action and even if we do not receive a complaint but get to know about any such incidents, we will go ahead and take actions.”

S Lakshmanan added, “Moral policing cannot be controlled by DC alone. If you look at the larger picture it is a society’s problem. And a problem like this can only be solved by including all the stakeholders in society. Together, we can sit and chart a plan which the stakeholders need to execute in togetherness with the administration.”

Sir, you are spot on. It is the administration’s responsibility to protect society. At the same time it is the society’s responsibility to empower the administration. It is a symbiotic relationship where both parties are equally responsible. Sad but it’s true that society has completely failed when it comes to moral policing.

Let me first address the biggest stakeholders when it comes to Cachar, the respected member of parliament Sushmita Dev and honourable member of legislative assembly Dilip Paul.

Both of you command the trust of thousands of people. You both are the custodians of democracy and you have taken an oath to uphold the constitution of India. Yet, you both are completely silent and have not said a word condemning a shameful incident of the two girls beaten by a mob at your own backyard.

Sir MLA, when I saw the video, the first thing I noticed is that the incident took place right in front of your wife’s shop. You are active on social media, and you have a huge following too. You used social media to announce your resignation as deputy speaker. You often use it to showcase your political movements, but you did not post a word against this, why?

Madam member of parliament, you are one of the most active politicians in Social Media, one moment your twitter handle is flurried with images of you agitating in front of the CBI headquarters, the other moment your posts showcasing you representing India in the United Nations are filling Barak Valley residents’ heart with pride. Today, you paid a tribute to former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi. Why are you completely silent when a girl is heckled in your own constituency. Madam, you are also the president of All India Mahila Congress, your sanitary napkin campaign has been recognised by one and all in the media, advertising and marketing fraternity. Women hygiene and sanitation are of such priority to you, then why are you silent when there is an open breach of women safety, security and communal harmony in your own constituency.

Dear politicians, sometimes silence speaks louder than words and your silence in this matter says either you don’t care or you don’t think its wrong. You are the ones leaving it open for our assumption. While equating Left – Right and Center, we must not forget that there is a right and wrong too.

Now let us shift our attention to the other watchdogs of society and democracy, the intelligentsia. Where are you? Where are your articles? All of you have an opinion when a piece of paper is thrown at Shaan in Guwahati but you are completely silent when it comes to moral policing. Is it not a selective outrage? Why are you all ignoring the matter? You want stations and roads to named after the language martyrs. You want Barak Valley to be separated from Assam. You all have some or the other social agenda. Where is women safety in your list?

There is a saying ‘Rome was not built in a day’, the negative connotation of the same would be Taliban or ISIS was also not created in a day. It is a mentality that spawns from one to many. It is a phenomenon where propaganda takes over humanity, it is a vicious cycle where kindness gets murdered by brutality and if you, the watchdogs do not step in now, then Moral Policing will be the new normal. And Barak Valley being the Island of Peace will be a myth.

Every morning between 6 to 7 in Ambikapatty, there is a huge gathering of students with heavy bags on their back, sleep and dreams in their eyes. They head to various tutors to learn, grow and develop into professionals. To all the teachers I ask, is your students passing an examination the only chapter in your syllabus? The teachers are the backbones of a society and you Sirs and Madams, you have a responsibility beyond for the students, who pay you a hefty tuition fee.And that responsibility is to educate the society against social evils.

In the video, the girls were called prostitutes, one was accused of having an affair with someone from the Muslim community and she was slapped, mobbed and heckled. While one of the two girls was pleading and begging, the other was giving it back. They had the courage to fight the mob and reach the police station. I salute that courage. But then comes the second video where a woman police constable is seen threatening and abusing the girls on camera. 10 seconds into the video, I realised, this is the same Police constable, who lodged a case when four TMC MLAs heckled her in Silchar Airport on August 2, 2018. Madam, I know your name, but I am not disclosing it as I respect your privacy. But I question you, if four MLAs heckling you is a crime and you deserve justice, why does the girl who was beaten by a mob does not? Why do you think that you are superior to those girls. What gives you the right to call them ‘Saala R***i and use other abusive words that you did on camera and that too sitting in a Police station. Madam, you have not only violated the law under IPC 504, but you have also demeaned the entire system. Disrespected the uniform you were wearing and let me remind you, your salary comes from taxpayers money and it includes the prostitutes, drunkards or escorts because they too pay taxes.

In the end, to all those who were shooting the video and beating the girls, the self-proclaimed custodians of society. Cowards you all are, you abuse the government servants the SP, the DC, who shield you 24 hours seven days a week. You spread communal hatred, you beat and molest and manhandle a couple of girls and you do all of it from behind the scene. Why don’t you all come in front of the camera? Because you all are men with mean and narrow-minded mentality? Be an IAS or an IPS first, then you will understand what it takes to reach there and you will never abuse government officials. Be a human first and then think about society.

You called them prostitutes, even if they were, you have no right to beat them, you call them drunkards. Drinking is not a crime in Assam, in fact, liquor tax is one of the biggest contributors to the economy. If you have the right to drink and smoke and dance, the girls have the same rights too and if that is a problem for you, then stay in your home.

For all those who read this so far, let me end with this- A good society is one where the men and women have the opportunity to work. The youth has a future and old age has security and there exists equality. Where women can wear what they want which is not obscene, drink what they want which is not illegal, drive what they want and they are not judged and policed by narrow-minded cowards. A good society is where the administration is respected and empowered and not abused and mocked. Where the intellectuals influence and aware against social evils and not only propagate politics. Where the doctors cure the environment and not only treat patients in wards, where the teachers teach about life and not just books, where journalists write headlines that bring in a change in the society and not money to the company. In this case, it is a collective failure and Ambikapatty almost witnessed something similar to what Beltola in Guwahati witnessed a few years back.

Let’s retain our title of Island of Peace, let us all unite and say no to Moral Policing. After all, the onus is on us.

You can watch the video where the girls are beaten here;

You can watch the video where the woman constable is abusing her here;