THE YEAR THAT WAS 2005

The year 2005 witness several eccentricity peculiar to the Indian society. There were sting operations on policemen and politicians. There was a moral crackdown on teens meeting in public places. Kashmir and the North East continue to be in a political kettle; boiling as usual.And lots more were in the news.

Meerut a town in Uttar Pradesh was in the news as the Police chief of the city ordered his men to go to parks and public places to arrest people indulging in amoral public display of affections. The Police chief should have read the meaning of what constitute moral or immoral public display. His intentions were perhaps noble if we presume that he had in his mind the menace of eve teasing and crime against women. But he did not define clearly what should be construed as obscene publicly.

Thus his minions, obviously, in a bid to outdo each other and to please their bureaucratic boss outdid each other in making an ass of themselves and the force. They ended up hounding people who had not shown any obscence display publicly but were just out on strolls in the various parks.

What sounds funny is that someone would see any wrong in two people showing affection for each other in a form of a kiss or just holding hands in public. Or what exactly does that action achieved none can be too sure.

The truth is that you cannot stop people to fall in love. Because a man and a woman are biologically destined to attract each other. And I do not believe that we Indians have gone to the extent of going nude in public places or for that matter become exhibitionists that we started making love in public. If that be the case then why was there a need to hound so many people in parks?

It only shows the naivette with which some of our politicians and other people in public office conduct themselves.