Sunday, February 28, 2010

My maiden tryst with moral police

I was in Wayanad on February 22 for one of my close friend's brother’s wedding. I stayed back for another day too see some places over there. On February 23 evening, as one of our scheduled programmes had to be cancelled due to some reasons, we didn’t have any plan till the time of my bus to Bangalore which was at 11.30 pm. My friend A, who was my junior in college and his classmate (B) were with me. Three of us went to Pazhassi tomb and spend some time when we got a call from C, a friend of A. He and his friend D were going to Valliyoorkavu temple to perform a puja. The temple happened to be the same place where A's brother got married. We also thought of going with them. I was the only girl in the group.

Since we were roaming around in the sun since morning and were not fresh, I decided not to enter the temple. We went in C's car and parked the vehicle outside the temple, which is on a hilly area. Other than the tarred road uphill, there is another way through which you can reach the temple. ‘A’ asked if we can go down through that way and wait for the others on the main road when they return from the temple in the car, just for me to see the place. It was around 7.45 pm then. Since ‘B’ had sprained his back, we asked him not to walk down and come with C and D in the car. He sat on one of the steps while I walked down along with A. C and D had gone inside the temple.

We came down to the main road on the side of which is the Thazhekkavu (the same temple's extension). The one in which our friends went was Melekkavu. There was a huge banyan tree on the temple premises on the side of the road and we decided to sit under that till our friends return. There was a car parked just on the way which we came with some people inside. We didn't bother and were talking, enjoying the fine weather and fresh air which I got to relish after long.

After a while, the car left. Two men who were left there came to us, both in their late 40s or early 50s. They started questioning us as to why we were sitting there at that time. We told them politely our friends were at the temple and were waiting for them. By then it was 8.10 pm or something. He just ignored it sarcastically saying, "Nothing usually happens at the temple this time. We know what time it closes."

We looked at him wondering what he means as he continued: "Many things happen here these days. We want to know why you are here." He again asked where was my friend from to which he replied "I'm from here only." The man , "Here only means, you belong to the temple premises?"

We again told them the same things and asked him to go and check if he has any doubts. We told them: "A red Indica car is parked outside the temple, two of our friends are inside. If you have doubts, one of you can stand here and the other can go up and check."

One of them, who stinks of alcohol even from a distance, took out his phone and called (or pretended to call) somebody in the temple. After that he said with a lewd grin: "Nobody is there. Now tell us why are you two here." He also started asking A, "are you married or are you her brother"! (As if he would have believed if we were really married or we were siblings!)

By then we started losing our patience. I told A, "You come, we will wait on the road." There was a cement bench at the bus stop right in front of the place where we were sitting. The man who was visibly agitated by our move ignoring him, said: "Haaahh.. you can't sit anywhere in this area without answering our questions."

My friend who was annoyed by then, said: "I don't feel it necessary to answer to your queries further." They wanted to call the police. We told we were more than ready to answer policemen than answering them.

Moral police no. 1 (I will refer to him as MP1 and the other one MP2) took out his phone again and called somebody and said: "Hey, ithoru kesukettanennu thonnunnu, ningal ingu pore" (a derogatory way of conveying to the other person that there's something fishy between both of us, along with asking them to come to the spot).

In no time, we were surrounded by some 15-20 men, some of them drunk and of all age groups from the locality, shooting off questions one after another. Still we didn''t budge. All of them were of the opinion that they won't let anything "immoral" which doesn't suit to their "culture" to happen in their locality!

One of them, who appeared to be a gentleman, came and asked politely about our details. My friend didn’t find any trouble in answering him and told him all our details. In fact, all of them who gathered there knew my friend's father who is popular in the area.

Then MP1 screamed, "See, he didn't tell us he is Vijayan's son neither did he tell us where he is from. Then all these would not have happened." This infuriated me. I asked them whether they would have let my friend do anything there if they had known that he was Vijayan's son! Amid discussions and shouts, they decided to solve the issue saying that now things are clear.

My friend and I refused. We insisted that police come and sort it out. We said we wanted to know from police whether they have handed over moral policing rights to the local people. My friend called up his cousin and asked him to call the police by when our other friends had come back from the temple. They were not even allowed to talk to us. Each of them were surrounded by small group of the MP gang.

Within 10 minutes, police from Mananthavady station came and listened to the issue. He blasted the gang asking who had given them the rights to question others and take law in their hands. They put both the men who questioned us in the jeep and asked us to accompany them to the station in our car, to which the locals protested. They wanted us also get into the jeep, to which we readily agreed!

We went to the police station and waited for a few minutes for the sub-inspector to come. In the meantime, they had recorded our statements. I presented the issue before the SI. After listening to both views, he told the two MPs in a harsh tone: “This is a problem with Malayalis all over the world. What is the problem if a girl and a boy talks or does whatever they want? Who are you to question them? When Rahul Gandhi came with his girlfriend to Kumarakom, why didn’t you all go and protest there? What do you all think? Who asked you to take care of the security of entire Valliyoorkavu? If you see any trouble, you better come here and report. The rest we will take care.”

MP1 who was in the forefront shouting at us, didn’t have a word to utter other than, “Sorry sir, we won’t repeat this...” The SI went on: “Last month, some ‘diseased’ men like you went and put up a drama in front of a hotel room where apparently a man and a girl stayed. Finally they turned out to be father and daughter! Aren’t you ashamed? At least show the maturity of your age.”

By the time we got message from our friends that the local men were blocking our friends’ car. MP1 came with an ‘offer’ saying: “Nothing to worry.. I will ask them to release the car...” much to the annoyane of the SI. He said: “I know how to release them. You need not interfere”, and left with his men to the spot where our friends were stuck.

In another few minutes, our friends came back and the two MPs were given a good lesson by the police. They were also asked to go to court and pay a fine on a particular date. We told the police that we had nothing against those men. But we felt that if we (all of us working with the media) don’t respond, who else will! We made it clear that this shouldn’t happen to anyone else who are outsiders. In our case, at least my friend was from the same area and had the identity of his father which he could have used (but he didn’t). What if some other friends were caught by such men and they had no way to escape! Moreover, we didn’t want to give them an impression that we were accepting their accusations by keeping quiet.

With high regard for the policemen who didn’t let moral police defame their locality, let me tell you friends, such incidents may happen anywhere at any time. But please react. We shouldn’t let such self-styled moral police thrive at the cost of our self respect and fundamental rights.

10 comments:

Pradeep said...

It's dreadful as much as it's shocking. Feeling quite ashamed that we live in such a society. That too this happened in the neighbourhood of a temple. What culture are we talking about!

As you said, you managed to get away. Not all would have been as lucky as you were. I doubt if ever those hooligans repented what they did, or mended their ways. Police intervention was only a short-term solution. What guarantee that they aren't again up to what they did? I wonder when and how we will we as a society free ourselves from this.

A well-evolved and free society is one which lets people be themselves and which cares for the people's welfare. I doubt if we are one such.

Anonymous said...

Kudos to you and your stright drive! But still, I feel the most practical thing would have been to avoid the MPs. When one is not doing anything wrong, then (s)he need not fear. So instead of explaining your presence there to Tom, Dick and Harry (that too when they are drunk), the best option would have been to summon the police, or at least threaten them with the police. As Pradeep said, one should be lucky to go unscathed from that set of hooligans.
If one has to teach such people a lesson, it should be made sure that both the teams are balanced. While appreciating the initiative taken by you both, I give this piece of advice in Kannada: 'Thale Gattigide Antha Bande Kallige Hodkobardu'. (Don't bang your head against a boulder just because one's head is strong).

manuscript said...

Yamz, such a brilliant act!!! hats off to you guys..and the police, especially the SI acted with supreme grace and sensibility...quite unlike the image we have about these police men...

K. Sundaram said...

This is atrocious!shocking!Are we living in democratic India or in taliban-ruled Afghanistan.Unfortunately it has happened in kerala-the most literate state in the country.you people know the local knowledge and you were able to tackle the situation.what could we from other states would have done?the issue should be seriously dealth with. at least the SI was sensible!I really can't believe this.

Radhika said...

"This is a problem with Malayalis all over the world."

Very correct observation. We have dirt in our mind and eyes and see dirt everywhere. And we are the most hypocritical people in the country. Our men our perverts. Our boys are porn addicts and eve harassers. Our women go around bitching and gossiping and spoiling people's reputation. We are a sick society.

Perspicuous said...

Congrats to you and your friends
for putting up a brave face and
giving the 'moral policemen' some valuable lessons

These incidents are definitely a blot on the
so-called 'highly-educated' Kerala civil society

I am not ready to ignore this as a one-off incident.
It had happened to several other women in the past.
And it can happen to anyone of us, anytime, anywhere,
Unless the civil society takes the lead
And comes forward to alienate these anti-socials

In your case, I think the police too erred a bit.
Why did they ask you to go to police station
and give a statement when they were fully convinced
that the anti-socials harassed you?
At best, they should have asked you to leave from the scene at the earliest.

Why did the SI unnecessarily dragged Rahul Gandhi's name
Into the issue? Who's he to make such a comment? (It is another kind of moral policing, don't you feel that?)

I also think you missed an excellent opportunity
To highlight the incident in the local newspaper/ channels
I am sure you must be knowing (or your friends) some journalists in Waynad
You should have informed them about the incident.
Hope you believe that media can play a crucial role
against anti-social activities. (This is not to blame you, but to remind you about the power of the media).

Once again, congratulations to you and your friends.

Ameer

Pink Mango Tree said...

Apparently, we are the most literate guys in the country! What a shame...!!

...n glad that you handled the situation perfectly!

BTW... I am a first timer here; yet to explore ur space! :)

Nona said...

Your courage is commendable. Thanks for sharing the incident. It is scary to think these events can occur anywhere in India!

വരയും വരിയും : സിബു നൂറനാട് said...

മലയാളികള്‍ ഇപ്പോഴും, എപ്പോഴും പൊട്ടക്കുളത്തിലെ തവളയാണ്..!!
അക്ഷരം കൂട്ടി വായിക്കാന്‍ പഠിച്ച് 'സാക്ഷരത' നേടിയത് കൊണ്ട് 'basic nature'ന് ഒരു മാറ്റവും വരില്ല.

Chandu said...

Congrats for taking up the issue to the police. I had once come across certain irritating glances when I took my sister to a movie - in my home town.