The Betrayal of Civil Liberties

The satisfaction one achieves resorting to violence is like an addiction, and when this happens people feel the rush to fulfil this craving. This unfortunately is not exceptional to any person, but also to the powers pledged to uphold civil rights and charge those who commit crime. We find ourselves living in such an irony where the state actors, who safe guard the law, are the main perpetrators. We live in a world of betrayal not only by our dear ones but those who protect us from the harm.

Last week, a farmer's family in Madhya Pradesh in India experienced the horror that a civil and democratic society should be ashamed of. The state actors are successfully utilising the pandemic to jeopardise the civil liberties and rights of citizens, particularly the marginalised. Instances like the attacks on migrant labourers and the heart-breaking case of Jayaraj and Bennicks in Tamil Nadu have brought police brutality to the fore and that should be condemned. These perpetrators are further emboldened by the mute and opaque justice system. As the Orwellian theory suggests, the concept of power rips apart the human mind and puts them back into new shapes of their own design. This very comfortably fits into today's context and happenings.

It's not only the violent actions that throw away the fundamental rights and civil liberties out of the window. Actions like carpeting allegations, mass harassment and an encouraging attitude towards an unhealthy workplace atmosphere are playing a major role in stripping the civil rights and liberties. It is disheartening to see political immunity having the capability to etch an irreversible saga of impurity and polarise the vulnerable human minds. Every one has the capacity to get influenced and become influential. What we need to think about is, how well have people in power polarised and influenced us. The simple answer is that, they have realigned the paradigm within their own limits; but what we really need to ask ourselves is, why have we let them do it. After all a democracy is the ethical ideology, and not a political system of governance, of involving the common man into decision making. Which leads us to the question - do we actually live in a democratic state?

As the world boils with inequality in every form, it seems like there is no "boiling point" with such instances rapidly on the rise. This inequality has gone to an extent where such offenders do not get sufficient punishment for their acts, altering the opinions and influencing the status quo for the bad. These actions also result in mass influencing of people carrying out such offenses etching a vicious cycle of never-ending blame game and crime. We as democratic citizens have to stand up against such excesses. The world is fragmented with so many differences and the marginalised and vulnerable should not be looked upon as unfortunate and incapable. The concept of equality, drilled deep in our minds, needs to break the shackles of confinement of our thoughts, and reciprocate in the form of actions. Although we preach about all of this, little has come to practise with each of our own egos (not personal to anyone) barricading the path to do good deeds. 

Its so unfortunate we live in a world where people who work for the upbringing of the vulnerable and minorities are deprived of the basic liberties to do so. For instance the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) in India is being used to suppress such voices as a "threat to national security" and seriously harming the rights of individuals and communities. In addition to this trauma the "accused ", can't demand a trial and can be in police custody for a maximum of 180 days. Not only does this violate Article 21 of the constitution, that states a "fair trial" as a part of life and personal liberty, it also challenges the ethics and morality of such decisions. Public intellectuals like Sudha Bharadwaj, Varavara Rao, etc. who stood up for the rights of the vulnerable have been booked under such acts, with no premise nor conclusive logic. One needs to connect the dots before completing the picture, and this is especially important when considering the professional tasks carried by people in authority.

It is also fascinating to realise that such movements only occur when such brutality has already taken place, too late for it to create an impact. It could reshape the "bright" future, but we need to realise that imperfection with the world creates perfection. It is important to encourage more of this and not undo these imperfections to create each's own "design", as Orwell puts it, of society. It’s inevitable that all of this takes place even in the future, but no one thought it would approach this fast. This is our last hope to change the world for the good. Unfortunately, the polarisation of the pillars of democracy has veiled such foreshadowed instances, but its high time we realise that our voice is ours and not of the state actors who run today’s world.