DailyPost 2805
WHERE CRIME HAS LOST ITS STIGMA
Social stigma is what everybody is bothered about. Not that everyone is pious, but no one wants to be caught doing a wrong act. This is known as social deterrence and it takes care of lots of social aberrations mostly of the minor variety. Crime takes the aberrations to a different level. It brings in legality and lots of other issues within its fold, which police and state handles, and is generally supposed to be beyond the purview of societal regulations and norms. Crime and social stigma go hand in hand. No society condones a crime or a criminal in a general way, more so if he has already landed in the clutches of the law.
There is certainly a class for which crime has lost its stigma, and if we go by the new stories of the last decade or even more, crime carries absolutely no stigma. This is the Political Class. The Prajwal Revanna case can be cited as an epitome of it. Were these crimes not known to the political class? Or all these are treated as life as usual, or euphemistically personal life. Even when it comes out in the open, the action they take is more so for the reasons of public outcry and not for reasons of stigma or genuine contempt for crime. No one feels the need to stand up against, it is just a political stance, certainly the one that suits the party or the government the best.
In the women wrestlers case, what an effort was required to get the case registered with the intervention of the Supreme Court. What treatment was meted out to them by our political class, unashamedly. Neither did the MP show any remorse or shame nor did the political class make any effort to show him the right path, by bringing him to book. Crime is accepted as the political norm and beauty is all types of crime. They make the law for whom? For the masses, it does not apply to them. Behind the few cases that come to light, because it is so difficult to get a case registered against them, any number would be getting pushed under the carpet.
What about the minister’s son who ploughed his vehicle in the crowd, killing farmers while they were protesting. Bringing the son to the clutches of law was a humongous task but certainly no stigma is attached. The role of the concerned minister was also suspect but nothing happened to him. He continues to be minister even today. When it comes to corruption they are even more carefree. It seems they feel they can get away with it as only one odd gets caught, of which the rare one gets convicted. From Shibu Soren saving a minority government to the electoral bonds of today, are a testimony to how the political class views and practices corruption.
WHEN CRIME LOSES SOCIAL / CLASS STIGMA, IT MOVES IN DIRECTION OF BECOMING THE NORM.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.