moral policing in india

moral policing in india

A girl child in India is under moral policing. She is controlled by her family and society right from her childhood she has to live within a conditioned life which suits to the need of the patriarchal society. Many questions came into my mind when I was a child .why girls are being controlled? Why is the patriarchal society worried when girls have their own choices and powers to exercise their choices? Think of a situation where a girl has choices and she lives by asserting her rights. She will then definitely decides to dress on her way, live a life she loves , choose a partner male/ female of her choice and she may also decides to have a child of whom she likes . And more over she can also decides not to give birth to a child. I came into a conclusion that it’s the sexuality of women the core thing; it’s the sexuality which is controlled. It’s the sexual right that women one should proclaim. Women decides the life of a society, women decides the life of a religion.

' Recent happenings in India prove that moral policing is increasing than ever. The self proclaimed moral guardians in India enhance rules that defines which culture is 'acceptable' and what the women should wear. Recently a group of men in a right-wing group Sri Ram Sena (Army of Lord Ram) assaulted girls drinking in a bar in the city of Mangalore. Mr Mutalik who heads the Sri Ram Sena says it is “not acceptable” for women to go to bars in India. He has argued that the assault on the women was correct because his men werepreserving Indian culture and moral values. Television pictures showed the men chasing, beating up and kicking the panicking women.. Women's groups have strongly condemned the attack and conducted a panties campaign on valentines day . Another interesting incident took place in Tamil Nadu Anna Mallai university .Girls was banned from wearing jeans. Kerala (which has cent percentage literacy) government banned the cinematic dance in college. When a well known Tamil actress Khushboo (for whom her fans had built a temple (worship place)) declared openly her positive view on premarital sex there was a wide spread protest from all political and social groups. They even demanded a public apology from actor Khushboo on her views on pre-marital sex. Deepa Mehta's film 'Fire' dealing with lesbian issue was attacked by the so called 'protectors of Indian culture' .In Uttar Pradesh some young couples were beaten up and shoved around by police women in a public park, which triggered a nationwide outcry about moral policing, government had ordered probe into the whole affair. Recently in Kashmir Terrorists threatened to throw acid on face on women who don't wear a burqa. These self proclaimed moral guardians say fashion shows, certain books, some movies, and bar dancing are to be banned. All the media in India reported the police operation in Meerut called Majnu where the couples sitting in parks were beaten up. In 2006 Fashion shows were banned in government-run colleges in Madhya Pradesh, and the women’s commission felt that there should be a dress code for girls in educational institutions. The State Women Commission (SWC) of Orissa launched “Operation Park” to ensure “social discipline” - to stop couples in parks. All this to “protect” young girls who are deceived by boyfriends. Soumya Vishwanathan, a television journalist in Delhi, was killed on her way back from work. Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit said she regretted Vishwanathan's death but felt that she should not be so "adventurous" to travel at night .Dance bars were banned in Maharashtra and Bangalore Moral police did not find any problem even if thousands of women lose their job and return to jobless or homeless condition . They find it was important to safeguard the morality than poverty. But womens group such as ‘Consortium-of-Pub- going-Loose- and-Forward- Women’ reacted strongly to the attack on women in pub . They put forward a pinki chadi (pink panties) campaign and they sent pink chaddi(panties ) to Mr Mutalik who heads the Sri Ram Sena on valentines day .
Fight for the women's right in India continues .