[The setting up of “anti-Romeo squads” was an election promise of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. They were meant to ostensibly curtail eve-teasing and provide greater security to women. However, reports reveal the chilling reality behind the grandstanding: A young woman and man, out in a rickshaw, going to meet friends to watch a movie together, were stopped in Lucknow and questioned by the police. The young woman, interrogated by policewomen, was released after being given “moral teaching”. The young man was taken to a police station, questioned further, released after hours.]
I/II. http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/anti-romeo-squads-up-bjp-government-obscene/ Obscene Police squads checking on couples violate citizens’ rights and dignity. Is this the New India PM spoke of after UP triumph? By: Editorial | Published:March 24, 2017 12:40 am The setting up of “anti-Romeo squads” was an election promise of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. They were meant to ostensibly curtail eve-teasing and provide greater security to women. However, reports reveal the chilling reality behind the grandstanding: A young woman and man, out in a rickshaw, going to meet friends to watch a movie together, were stopped in Lucknow and questioned by the police. The young woman, interrogated by policewomen, was released after being given “moral teaching”. The young man was taken to a police station, questioned further, released after hours. Thus, at the end of the UP police’s foray that claims to make the state safer for women — a woman traumatically detained, her friend harassed, even policemen reportedly admitting that the “anti-Romeo squad” had no legal jurisdiction to stop the two. If the police can’t tell the difference between molesters and amicable couples, the squads portend humiliation, extortion and violence on innocent young people in public places. Such bullying couldn’t be more out of step today when, across India, walls between the genders are breaking. More and more young women are in schools, colleges, workplaces and recreation spots, frequently with male colleagues, boyfriends, friends who are boys. The squads picking on such couples will cast a pall of darkness in public places. They will make it unsafe for women to step out with men of their choice, inhibit families, foist retrograde notions about the sexes meeting, and brutally pull back India’s youth into a shackling medieval repression. Is this what Prime Minister Narendra Modi was referring to, after the UP win, when he spoke of a “new India”, where “the dreams of the under-35s” would materialise? In UP, after his party took over, the nightmares of the under-35s would appear to be coming true, threatening to empty malls, coaching centres, etc, of young people frightened to venture out. UP experienced tumult earlier over “love jihad”, its new chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, having used the term to describe mixed-religion marriages as a conversion ploy. Then, aggression targeted minorities; now, it has expanded to a hatred of all young people who aspire to an afternoon, an evening, a moment of togetherness and freedom. PM Modi has spoken about “maximum governance, minimum government”. Is this mai-baap sarkar, which accords itself a khap panchayat-like claim to “moral teaching”, and aims to control young citizens, minimum government? The weight of this farce could make the PM’s slogans flip, creating what Shakespeare described in Romeo and Juliet as “a fool’s paradise”, where young people’s lives “shall pay the forfeit of the peace.” II. [There is always a difference between what they say and what they do. If you listen to the prime minister’s speeches during elections and after elections, there is a lot of difference. While the PM was speaking about Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas at the party office, Yogiji was targeting a particular community and castes.] http://indianexpress.com/article/india/being-a-yogi-cm-doesnt-know-difference-between-obscenity-and-family-4584223/ Being a yogi, CM doesn’t know difference between obscenity and family: Ranjeet Ranjan Ranjeet Ranjan, Congress, Lok Sabha, speaks to The Indian Express. Written by Liz Mathew | New Delhi | Updated: March 24, 2017 11:14 pm You termed the ‘anti-Romeo squads’ unconstitutional. Why? It is against the fundamental rights of a citizen. There is a lot of difference between vulgarity or obscenity and a love affair or friendship. You are putting everything into one category… There have been instances of a youngster being stopped from going to a movie together, even brother and sister being stopped from walking together. How many years would you take India back? Are you saying a girl cannot have a boyfriend? The chief minister is a yogi, so he does not know the difference between obscenity and family relations. What could this lead to? This could spoil children’s future… Your party has been supported by youth who could turn against you; you are murdering the democracy that brought you to power. If these moves are unpopular, why would a government take them? I think it comes out of narrow-mindedness. It’s regressive too. It could be because some people in the Sangh or his own Hindu Yuva Vahini want it. They don’t want a girl and a boy to walk together even if they are siblings. I want to ask if this country has become Taliban. The home minister said the focus of the BJP government in UP will be welfare for all. ***There is always a difference between what they say and what they do. If you listen to the prime minister’s speeches during elections and after elections, there is a lot of difference. While the PM was speaking about Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas at the party office, Yogiji was targeting a particular community and castes.*** [Emphasis added.] You mentioned a crackdown on slaughterhouses, calling it a move against particular communities. The government is defending its actions saying it was on their agenda. Were these the only issues on their agenda – anti Romeo squads and slaughterhouses? What about loan waiver for farmers? They promised power, roads and jobs. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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