Setting a Bad Precedent: Sham Innocence

Setting a Bad Precedent: Sham Innocence

Too many times we get over emotional forgiving the mistakes, over burdening the public opinion almost swaying in favour of the culprit if not the crime, ignoring the deeds and the betrayal, and siding with spine doctors especially if it’s our heartthrob fall from grace. We wait neither for eugenics if only the offender is not faking coming back to senses nor make sure swift delivery of justice, rather the air becomes heavy with sob saga paving for soft acquittal of guilty.

In matter of couple of days, two cases of betrayal, ingenuity and shame have capture attention of this struggling nation - IPL spot fixing with star culprit Sreesanth and Sanjay attempt to trade his already minuscule punishment with emotional pitches and public endorsements. Both situations may have been avoided, if law was not subjugated in favour of public persona and stopped the culture of setting bad precedents. Had star criminals like  Mohammad Azharuddin for his venturing into match fixing, Sanjay Dutt for keeping company of Ak-47, grenades and underworld at the time of Mumbai blast, things may have been different.

However rather than implicating culprits for deed we are showering them with gifts, Sanjay Dutt initially arrested under TADA but gradually TADA was repealed to let crime go more or less unpunished. Once in middle of match fixing ex-captain of Indian team, Azharuddin is now Member of Parliament from Moradabad Constituency. Salman Khan roams free after driving over labourers and shooting black bucks (cases motionless in court). No wonder, good incentive for mind with criminal tendencies – letting glamour and power call shots aren’t we sending wrong message to a prospective offender. We should shameful that innumerable Salman Khans and Shakti Kapoors almost scot free or even award in India. Is this the reason of spike in crimes, on streets, towards children and women, criminalisation of youth and politics, corruption among so called educated classes, promises of easy life and easy exits? How does youth of today see as role models? Do we want toothless enforcement agencies?

If we continue with the prevailing tendency, we as society not questioning what we stand for, what we support, not stating clearly that justice delayed is justice denied and wondering rational for being concerned. Are we clueless about whose justice is denied – apparently the answer is ours - civil society, consumer, country, and humanity. When a person misuses the position to either cross the bridge unethically obtaining an unfair advantage or joins the bomb blasting conspirators, it’s putting our life and the general public at stake. We are the prime stakeholders of the modern state – all the three/four of its pillar stand on us and to connect the dots for us. The legislative, executive, judiciary and the media, would be feeble and useless we are not actively participating in the working. 

Only in state of lawlessness and disorder, such apathetic unscrupulous personalities can buy public opinions and judgments. Remember the public outcry Bill Clinton Monica Lewinsky controversy and corporate scams generate in US, Chinese criticised a controversial war memorial by Japanese leaders, outrage against Silvio Berlusconi Italy’s Prime minister – all for misuse of office. Why this is missing here, misuse of office and frauds are crimes and we need to ensure fast redressal system.

Rather than be sympathetic or indifferent towards crocodile tear shedding, half mocking and non-repenting culprits, we need to make sure it’s clear in black and white one cannot take laws in hand just for pleasure and fancies. And in case of repenting, one must before asking for leniency start from offer public apology and full cooperation to the system giving details of the conspirators and involvement. Till people start participating as stakeholder of this system, understanding their rights and duties, these social lacunas would not be plugged and the system remain corrupt and biased towards the elite exploiters.

Till then criminals would go scot free, stalking, and misusing any opportunity and we would keep on burying our necks like ostrich sham innocence. The justice would be denied, inequalities would prevail and society would not be safe.

If it was not Sanjay Dutt! What if it was me or You?

If it was not Sanjay Dutt, What if it was me or You!

It was 1993, just two decades back almost this time of the year 13 bombs exploded in Mumbai, erstwhile Bombay on Friday, 12 March 1993. It is still one of the most successful non war attacks on Indian soil which killed a minimum of 250 people and injuring lot many. The gruesome attack on Mumbai, its people and the country was executed by D-Company however; the conspirators included the likes of Sanjay Dutt.

 
At that time, he was a budding actor, a super-star's son but a spoilt brat caught possessing Ak-47s and live grenades. Are we letting him free too easily? Do we suffer from no memory or are we mocking standards of sympathy? Is it because collective memory is like a sieve or have we become too indifferent to crime and hate that we can let entertainers of the day scout free- just because the culprit plays a good cop in a movie, Gandhi in another or good/dancer/comedian in others?

Just to remind the depth of the tragedy- Sanjay Dutt possessed 3 AK-56 rifles, 9 magazines, 450 cartridges 9mm pistol and around 20 hand grenades. Initially, court hearing he claimed it was for self protection and said in his own words that it was provided by Hanif Kadawala, Abu Salem and Samir Hingora, complies of Anees, Daewood Brother and Daewood, to whom he got introduced years through actor-producer Feroz Khan. Later Sanjay understanding the danger of keeping them got consignment destroyed except for 1 AK-56 and some ammunition. The weapons and ammunition was "distributed among various underworld elements" to quote indiatimes news publication.

 
Recently, after the court had passed the verdict to imprison the person with mere 5 year minimum possible sentence for one of the most gruesome act in history of Mumbai, his backers like Gitanjali Jewels, Producers/Financiers, Film Fraternity has no sympathy for the victims or country but for the culprit actor. Or they don’t care till public gives them money? Do we Anna Hazares to fight unethical advertising?

Dutt like others was booked under TADA, it is widely speculated/believed the whole TADA act was repealed due to his father, Sunil Dutt’s, the then congress politician and ex mega star, through political persuasive aggressive lobbing. An act was repealed to save an accomplice? Post it, Sanjay has backtracked from most of the statement; previously he was released earlier then implicated terms for TADA was done away with.

People should remember in reel life a Khalnayak can pass off Munna Bhai portraying Gandhigari, however, should a Real life khalnayak get sympathy from the same society which was bombed, from the consumer who can be swayed away with emotion? Is it justified by advertisers and producers to be so insensitive to general public? Should not general public raise their voice against leniency shown?

He has neither rendered a public apology nor has come out clear with his involvement rather been retracting on his statements and with each p assessing year, denying the extent of the involvement. Would this kind of the behaviour pass off so lightly in any other community, state or even jungle raj? Has he even had change of heart? He was shamelessly contesting for Lucknow Parliamentary seat from SP in last elections, why – was he proud of history of bombing or evading the jails?

What if it was you who did it or I, a Good Samaritan or even an unknown commoner, even if by mistake? Would be treated similarly as this son of cinema with past dotted with drugs, his abuse of alcohol and alleged skirt chasing, having being a accomplice of people on most wanted global list and corroborated in the sinister bomb blast which changed the city forever can have all the leniency from getting a state act repealed to least possible punishment?

Would it happen in London, Cuba, Beijing, Washington, Moscow, even Dubai, Cairo why then it can happen here in Mumbai? Are we setting a precedent– Yes? What could be next leniency to rapist, murderer, terrorist, and rioter? Bollywood rules our heart for entertainment and it pay for it with affection and tonnes of money – next thing do they too want to above all and people? Would we in next advertisement see Deowood, Madani or Godsey promoting products?

Are we waiting for old Russian poem to be true?

“First they came for the communists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

 

Then they came for the socialists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.

 

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

 

Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

 

Then they came for me,

and there was no one left to speak for me.”

 

Sources: (Much of coverage is missing online, i guess due to spine doctors)

http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/how-did-sanjay-dutt-become-involved-in-the-1993-mumbai-blasts-67595.html

Details of Killing:

http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/database/mumbai_blast.htm

Sanjay Hearing:

http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/nov/23salem.htm'

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=20070323003912800.htm&date=fl2405/&prd=fline&

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjay_Dutt#Illegal_possession_of_arms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Bombay_bombings#Sanjay_Dutt_and_co-conspirators