Make way for the mob

When we compare the big two Asian powers India and China, we always make flattering allusions to how “free” and “democratic” we are, when compared to China. So what if they’re growing at a faster pace than us and their growth is far more inclusive ours? We’ve got democracy and that makes a “better state” than them, right?

Wrong.

Democracy in India is absolute eyewash. In reality, there’s little you can do in India without having the state breathe down your neck. From deciding how you live, what you believe in and what you are exposed to, our nanny state makes sure its citizens toe the line.

Ok, so maybe our government isn’t reading our Gmail or censoring all our papers beyond a point of belief. But they are trying to amend the Information Technology Act to censor all opinions that do not suit the national character of India and its government. In India, our censorship isn’t just political, it’s religious and moral as well.

In which other democracy would you find actresses who publicly approve of pre-marital sex have several lawsuits filed against them? Or film stars who do photo shoots in swim wear receive death threats?

Moral policing is so common these days that we’ve gotten so used to it. You won’t hear a squeak from the silent urban majority anymore.

The government has got involved in the moral policing as well. Recently, the Information and Broadcasting department has moved to set up a special board to monitor content on Indian television. This came after the members in the Congress lodged complaints with the watchdog. When compared to television content in other countries, we’re complete prudes. It’s hard to think that a society that wants to be thought of as progressive has problems with a bit of light snogging on a reality show.

Often, we label these moral police as “fringe elements.” That’s a term that got flung around quite a bit in 2008, when several girls who went out for a drink in a Mangalore pub were beaten up by a group of political activists. When approached for a comment, Karnataka’s chief minister Yeddyurappa initially justified the indefensible actions of the mob. Moral policing is a dominant characteristic of our political establishment. An establishment that we elect without asking any questions.

Politically, the state is quick to crush dissent and they aren’t too far away from sending tanks to mow down students in a public square. Last year’s violence in the Kashmir Valley and the North East, when several students were killed in protest movements, is evidence that the state is eager to suppress any opinions that are not in line with theirs. Just ask Ms. Arundhati Roy, who has been charged with sedition for exercising her freedom of speech.

We’re not ruled by a democracy. We are a “mob-ocracy,” and there’s little place for rational thought and discussion.