Of Moral Policing

I feel this debate over Moral policing is bunkum. A clever journalist must have coined this term and some of our politicians & socialites seem have taken a fancy for this phrase and are using it ad absurdum to prove their point. Result is that they are now contradicting themselves and making a mockery of the proceedings (Centre trashes NCW's Mangalore pub attack report).

In my opinion, the Mangalore Pub incident is a law & order issue and the perpetrators of the crime should be brought to law. You cannot change the mindset of Mr. Muthalik or others of his ilk. In a democracy they have a right to their opinion. But they do not have any right to impose their own views on others.

Morality is something that cannot be universal, hence binding on everyone. What one deems highly immoral may be a way of life of another. Friction arises when we try to impose our moral standards on others. Government's duty is to reduce chances of such friction to arise and when it does, to deal with a firm hand.

P.S. : Wasn't Lakhman's cutting of Surpnakha's nose (in Ramayana) an act of moral policing? He didn't approve of her advances and wanted to teach her a lesson.