India Uncut
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Thursday, December 07, 2006
Guess who's upholding the law
Surprise surprise, it's the cops. Sify reports that three of the student leaders who allegedly vandalised Mohammad Kaif's house recently have been arrested. Joy.
And why am I surprised by that? Well, it's because mass public displays of emotion are generally treated as beyond the law in India. From bandhs to riots to morchas to stoning houses, burning buses and blackening faces of people, it's all treated as acceptable as long as there's a mob doing it, and not an individual or two.
Kaif's house was attacked in 2003 as well: no action was taken then. I am glad that the cops have swung into action this time. I don't expect that the general trend of mobs getting an implicit legal sanction to do their gundagardi will change, but it's nice to see some accountability.
And why am I surprised by that? Well, it's because mass public displays of emotion are generally treated as beyond the law in India. From bandhs to riots to morchas to stoning houses, burning buses and blackening faces of people, it's all treated as acceptable as long as there's a mob doing it, and not an individual or two.
Kaif's house was attacked in 2003 as well: no action was taken then. I am glad that the cops have swung into action this time. I don't expect that the general trend of mobs getting an implicit legal sanction to do their gundagardi will change, but it's nice to see some accountability.
