Moral Policing or talibanisation?

Morality is essential in a civil society governed by codes of conduct and ethics which have been handed down by generations together.The concept of morality is open to interpretation and a subjectmatter of debate depending upon the culutral factors which shape and mould the moral aspects of a particular culture may it be occidental or oriental culture.morality is something which needs to be imbibed and inculcated and not forced upon or thrusted upon a set of people out of sanctimoniousness and under the garb of safeguarding traditional values.

Indian civilisation which is known for its tolerance and all-encompassingness has unfortunately degenerated into laboratory of moral policing where self-appointed moral police are on a rampage to dictate terms to the youth in terms of attire they must don, their recreational pursuits, choice of films and conduct of theirs with the opposite sex in public. People are indeed concerned about the decline in moral values and rise of materialism and self-indulgence but the modus operandi used by certain right-wing groups under the guise of a divine entity to perpetrate violence of women, intimidating couples at public places, making a hue and cry about degree and quantum of nudity to be shown in films which is the prerogative of censor board not these so called crusaders.

The moot question is if these moral police want pub culture to be weeded out of the social set up they must strive for a legislation and create awareness about its unwholesome effects on the young generation rather than taking up cudgels and resorting to violence when there has been no provocation from people who have been taking alcohol at pubs, In case a person at a pub behaves irrationally after consuming liquor in excess, the pub bouncer will chuck him out we dont need the services of a moral cops. Couples on account of lack of privacy go to places where they find some serenity and comfort and they are no a menace to society unless they indulge in behaviour which involves obscenity and indecent exposure,blanket ban on films should not be encouraged in a democracy on grounds of alleged hurting of religious sentiments or vulgarity in the film unless the film undergoes litmus test of censor board approval and also avails of remedy of judicial scrutiny.

Moral policing at the end of the day smacks of intolerance and biogotry also parochialism and puritanism. When the political establishment wants to wash its hands of important issues plaguing its polity, it provokes its cadres to make a hue and cry about trivial issues like wardrobe malfunction to draw public attention and garner votes and playing to the gallery.