It's time to clean house

Something that has always bugged me about this country is the level of corruption that everyone seems to stoop to so very easily. The kind that really affects you in your life everyday. The auto driver who refuses to use the meter, and charges extra because he knows he can, the vegetable wallah that gives you rotten food or cheats on the weighing scale to make a few extra bucks, the maids or the drivers who steal from you when your back is turned...

Somehow we've learnt to live with all these forms of corruption, and even turned them into 'Indianisms' in our head to help pave the way.. But the one that really gets to me, that I just cannot seem to stomach is the state of our police force.

I find it unforgivable that the institution set into place to instill a sense of security and comfort in the minds of the people, actually serves to terrorize and loot from the very people they are meant to protect.

I've always known the disposition cops have towards making the easy buck, whether it's from someone speeding, cutting a red light or even drinking and driving. And I too have always rolled my eyes at the corrupt ways of our nation but been party to the begging and pleading for another chance, and finally the covert exchange of a few hundreds.. which today has become a few thousands! I guess inflation misses no quarters!

But the last weekend, I was in Mumbai and as is the norm, I got tossed out of Tavern in Colaba with my drink in hand, when the place shut. While I was finishing up my drink, we were standing on the front porch of the hotel, taking pictures and generally having a good time with no objection from the hotel staff. We suddenly had two cops pull up in front of us on bikes demanding to know from my two (male) friends how they can allow a girl stand on the street and drink! Heaven forbid! They were backed up by two more cops who showed up on bikes (to add to the show of police dominance, or to get their cut of the cash I assume). We were spared the pain of having to fork up the money since the hotel staff vouched for us, but I did have to suffer the indignity of being shuttled out of sight with my beer glass into a taxi, and then having it taken away from me to pacify the brutes.

The very next night, when I got back to Pune we went out for a few drinks for a friends birthday. We left the place at 11.30 pm, in two taxis to make our way back to hostel. Around twelve, the second taxi, transporting two male and one female companion was stopped at a check post. We discovered the taxi was in fact a private vehicle, and the driver didn't have the necessary papers. This was all it took for the cops to get into character. I've seen moral policing before, but this time they took it beyond anything I've ever heard of.. Unfortunately, I wasn't surprised. They demanded to know their details of course, and then refused to believe that the three (my friends) were students of Symbiosis since the college has not issued any identification to us (three months into the course). They went from dominating and aggressive to downright sleazy by asking the girl in question if one of the men was her 'lover'. Upon her indignant denial, they shrugged and said it looks that way. Why that would even be relevant to the situation is anyones guess. And to me, the situation still stands at not being anyone's problem but the taxi driver's, but there you have it. They focus on targeting their accusations to the people who will be able to hand over the money and not the people actually at fault.
My three friends were held on the street by the cops for over an hour, at twelve at night, with no money, while the cops hurled accusations at them. True to form, the cops demanded Rs 3000/- from them (on what grounds I'm not sure) else they were taking them all to jail! Despite the law clearly stating that cops cannot arrest a woman after sun down, unless a female cop is present. They badgered and terrorized these three 21 year old kids, who are barely out of grad school; who barely have any life experience or cash; who should ideally look to their local police to safeguard their rights and interests, with no concern for their well being.

Unfortunately, the reason why my friends could not argue with the cops if they wanted to, aside from the general fear of going to prison, was because they were in the wrong as well. They were 21 years old and under the influence of alcohol, while the legal drinking age in Maharashtra is 25.

As a nation, I believe we have an inherent predisposition towards breaking the rules. Even as citizens we are unable to follow traffic signals, wait our turn in queues, follow the speed limit, not drink before the accepted age limit, not drink and drive.. the list goes on.

But my quarrel with the cops is that yes, as citizens we have much to do to improve, but by god, so do they! They could have penalized the taxi driver for not having his papers in order, and my friends for drinking under the age limit. They could have taken the men to the cop station if needed and let the lady carry on, to be summoned after sun rise. They did not have to delve into matters of no concern to them. Who was anyone's lover in that car was no issue to anyone except the consenting adults involved.

I find it unfortunate that as a citizen of this country, I can honestly say that I would never trust a cop, that I would trust a civilian in my hour of need over a cop. I do acknowledge that there are decent, honest members of the police force out there, but they're so few and far between, I wouldn't risk placing my life in the hands of the wrong one.

The entire message survives in a vicious cycle of information. Our own media, our television and our movies, propagate characteristics - the threatening, aggressive cop; the violent bearer of justice; the stern upholder of morality.. all of which are sure enough, fulfilled in real life by our lumpy, dumpy wholly unimpressive police force.

I think its time, as a matter of personal choice, that people stop indulging themselves and the system. The reason this has gone on so long, is because we as citizens are no less at fault against the charge of indulging or abetting corruption than the cops are. I'm not suggesting we start a revolution to over throw the system here. I believe the system has been put in place for a reason, and it could work. But we as believers in a better way, have to stop taking the easy way out, so that when we stay strong and fight against corruption, we actually have a leg to stand on.