THE PUNCHING BAG
Today in
India, Police is the favorite punching bag for everyone for everything that
goes wrong in society. Recently after clashes between people and police in
Gujarat, one message was making rounds on social media. It is a dialogue from
one of the Bollywood movies. It says every society gets the police, it
deserves. This reminded me of an incidence.
Recently i
had gone to Europe with my husband. We spent a fortnight in London. we had read so much about the tube and we really loved traveling by it. We started following the
trends on Twitter and also were reading newspapers. There was underground strike on 8th
and 9th July, 2015. There was lot of talk and discussion going on
about its impact, its righteousness and preparations to handle the
consequences. At one point we thought they were overreacting to a mere 24 hour
strike. More was to come my way.
We decided
to be on road to experience it firsthand. As we started following the tweets,
we came across links for maps of alternate bus routes for the day. The local administration
had not only started additional buses but was prompt in informing about it in
every possible way. Even the strikers were apologizing for the inconvenience
caused. Signage were put at bus stops asking people to bear with bus drivers
and cooperate as they were working extra hours and bus drivers were welcoming
passengers with a smile. It was all perfectly orchestrated.
We decided
to go for lunch on Thames and boarded a bus for Oxford circle. It was overcrowded
as expected. We both were busy reading the tweets and marveling at the positive
involvement of citizens and the healthy tone of discussions. Suddenly the bus
came to a standstill at a stop. When it did not move for a long time, we went
down to see what happened.
There were
other passengers surrounding a person and requesting him to get down. What I learn t was the person was drunk and driver was going by the rule book. He told
the passengers to board another bus (which was to arrive in 10 min.) He would
not drive with the drunkard on board. Passengers were trapped because every bus
was already overcrowded. Even in that situation, they knew, they could not
argue with the driver because he was doing exactly what he was supposed to do.
They were also not threatening the drunkard but only requesting him to get
down. One of the ladies who was getting late for work also proposed to pay him
the bus fare he had paid. I was stunned by the order and civility of people.
The final shock was when the drunkard gave his reason for not getting down in
spite of so many requests. He simply said, “now that the driver has already
called the cops, I have to wait.” Within few minutes two smartly dressed and
well built cops arrived. They requested with a smile to the drunkard
‘gentleman’ to get down. The gentleman got down without uttering a word and our
bus started. We both saw the cops talking very softly to the man. They were
smiling.
I couldn’t
stop imagining and reconstructing in my
mind the whole situation back in India and the consequent responses.
First and
foremost, the driver wouldn’t care for the rules. He would not get involved
with a ‘bad guy’ by asking him to get down. If by any chance he asks, he would
definitely not be polite. Most probably, he would physically assault him and
throw him out.
The
passengers who are getting late because of this one drunkard will beat him
black and blue and push him out of bus. They would certainly not respect the
person who is vulnerable.
The
drunkard himself will run away if he comes to know that cops have been called.
The cops
would come. If they are honest and rule abiding, they will register an offence
against the drunkard, against the driver and passengers for rioting and
assault. They will be hated by one and all for doing this. Before even reaching
the police station, they will start getting phone calls for not registering the
FIR, if that is inevitable then for at least not booking the influential
passengers. If that is already done, then calls will follow to release them
immediately. If that doesn’t work out, then requests will follow for providing
facilities in lock up. The cops will be thought of as personal enemies for
doing this lawful duty. The vengeance will be sought. When right opportunity
shows up in future (as provided by recent agitation), they will be beaten
taking advantage of the safety provided by the anonymity of the crowd.
In the
second scenario, if the cops are dishonest and with least concern for law, they
will try for burking the cognizable offence that has come to their knowledge.
In their enthusiasm to give instant justice and to suppress their own guilt,
they would beat the drunkard. Our fellow passengers would appreciate them for
doing so. (The dishonest cops will also make some money from the drunkard) This
appreciation will compel the policemen to repeat the same behavior. In the
process nobody will be bothered to talk about the assault by passengers and
driver, the injury caused to the body of the drunkard and to his self respect.
This short term, quick justice won’t do any
good to the image of cops or to the passengers with utter disregard for the law
of the land. The main evil, as thought of by this society, the drunkard will
never be rehabilitated as he will also lose his faith in any system.
Whatever
the cops do, in both the above scenarios, they will be hated. The problem is
not just with the cops but equally with our society’s mentality to bypass the
law. We don’t want to take responsibility for our behavior. We find safety in
anonymity of the crowd. The demons within us surface when we are part of a
crowd. We believe in preaching a path, we don’t have ability to walk on. We
don’t introspect. We don’t think. We don’t analyze. We only expect others to
play their part while we have utter disregard for our part. We expect the behavior
of the London Police to deal with the barbarity of the brutal crowd without mind.
Is it not too much to expect?
Yes,
society gets the cops it deserves.
