SHOCKING AND SHAMEFUL
Karnataka Minister and molestation incident
As if the incidents of molestation of several women on the streets of Bangalore during the New Year celebrations were not disgraceful enough, Karnataka's Minister for Home Affairs G Parameshwara's remark that “these kinds of things do happen”, have shocked people who expected a modicum of sensitivity from a public figure — no less than a Minister in the State Government. The Congress regime in the State is busy fire-fighting and claiming that it does not endorse the Minister's remark. But the comment is really a reflection of the nonchalance with which authorities take such incidents. Worse, they pass the blame to the victims rather than commit themselves to dealing with the culprits with an iron hand. Parameshwara, for instance, said that during events such as the New Year, youngsters “try to copy the West, not only in their mindset but even in their dressing”.
He added that as a result, “some disturbances are there, some girls are harassed”. Instead of giving out such nonsensical remarks, the Minister ought to have introspected as to how the law and order machinery, which is answerable to his Government, had failed to prevent the shameful incidents where, in full public view, hoodlums groped and molested women on the crowded streets. The Minister claimed that 1,500 police personnel had been deployed in the area (MG Road and Brigade Road) to maintain law and order during the New Year celebrations. The Government was fully aware that there would be a large turnout of people late in the evenings and that there could be undesirable incidents. Why was it that the molesters got away with their brazen act, at least for that moment? The Karnataka Director General of Police later said that the culprits would be identified and brought to book. A few police authorities are reported to have stated that they were waiting for complaints to be lodged. These are routine remarks and do no credit to the police force. There are visuals of police personnel at the spot, with some of them actually trying to console the victims. It appears to be the case as in Hindi films, when the police are seen around after the accused have been nabbed. In this case, though, even the accused walked away free from the spot.
The gravity of the situation can be understood from the fact that the molesters were not just one or two or even three, but constituted a mob. It's impossible for the police deployed there to have missed the hoodlums, and more so when the victims cried out for help. The Siddaramaiah Government has a lot of answering to do. The Bangalore incident, sadly, is not an isolated one, though. Months ago, we had the shocking spectacle of a mob molesting a woman on the streets of a north-eastern State. And there are more. It's not just gender-sensitisation of society but also the full might of the enforcement agencies that is needed to curb these crimes.
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