None could have poured out the anguish of a human better than an abused, violated and bereaved mother by name Bilkis Bano. In a few simple but heart-rending words she summed up the situation of millions of poor, discriminated and oppressed citizens: “Give me back my right to live without fear.”
Killers’ sanskar
The tragic story of Ms Bilkis Bano is well documented. In 2002, following the burning of a train, violence erupted in Gujarat. Ms Bilkis Bano, 21, was a young mother and also pregnant. A mob of men attacked her; gang-raped her; and killed seven members of her family including her 3-year old daughter. She was lucky to survive and tell her story. Her assailants were tried, 11 were found guilty, and sentenced to imprisonment for life. Without any forewarning, on August 15, 2022, hours after the Prime Minister asked people to take pride in Nari Shakti, the state government remitted the remainder of the sentence of life imprisonment and the 11 prisoners walked free. They were welcomed and feted with garlands and sweets. Some in the welcoming party touched the feet of the released prisoners. One said, “they were Brahmins with good sanskar”.
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A 10-member committee had allowed the application for remission. Of the seven private members (the other three were officials of the state government), five are active members of the BJP, including two who are sittings MLAs. No one from the BJP apologised in 2002. No one from the BJP has apologised in 2022. Ms Bilkis Bano, along with her family, is reported to have fled her home. No one from the BJP has expressed any concern for their safety.
Absent Equality
The moral of the story is clear. Not all Indians are equal before the law or entitled to the equal protection of the laws. Not all Indians can live their lives without fear. In fact, more and more Indians are living in fear.
- Journalists live in fear. A journalist was summoned at about 10 pm on a cold December night to rush to an OB van to read a script on routine ‘breaking’ news. I asked him why he did not politely decline. He said his aged parents lived with him, he had EMIs to pay on his flat and, if he had refused, he may lose his job. Several journalists have told me that they have to “go along” with the biases of their newspapers and channels because they feared losing their job and, under current circumstances, will not be able to find another. They have the examples of several distinguished journalists, anchors and editors before them.
- Media owners live in fear because government advertisements will mysteriously stop. Private sector advertisers will suddenly ‘economise’ on their advertisement budgets. The new fear is of being ‘taken over’.
- Bankers live in fear. I asked a banker if his bank got many big-ticket loan requests and if he was sanctioning them. He looked around to make sure no one was within earshot and whispered his answer: “Why would I Sir, I will retire in six months.”
- Officers live in fear. In the first year of the Modi government, believing the yarn that the government appreciated candour, a senior officer explained at a meeting why the proposal that was being discussed was a bad idea and bad economics. He was abruptly transferred. IAS and IPS officers have found a way to avoid the ignominy: few opt for central deputation, stumping the central government!
Fear among Citizens
- MPs live in fear. BJP MPs have opposed, privately, a Bill or some provisions of a Bill or the suspension of Opposition MPs. Recent examples are the Farm Bills, The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill and the suspension of some MPs for a whole week or for the remainder of the session.
- Ministers live in fear. Ministers have reconciled themselves to their Secretaries taking instructions daily from the PMO or Cabinet Secretariat and putting up files to the Ministers according to those instructions. Ministers sign on Cabinet Notes drafted in the Cabinet Secretariat and submit them to the Cabinet Secretariat for submission to the Cabinet!
- Businesspersons and traders live in fear. It is no longer fear of only the CBI, ED and Income Tax. Other agencies such as GST administration, DRI, SFIO, SEBI, CCI, NIA and NCB have been weaponised and unleashed. With little support from the government, MSMEs live in fear of being forced by economic circumstances to shut down forever.
- Citizens live in fear of crime, mob violence, police excesses and false cases. Especially scared are women, Muslims, Christians, Dalits, tribals, migrant workers, social activists, authors, comedians, cartoonists, film producers and publishers. Not a day passes when the talons of the state do not reach a prominent member of these sections of the people.
- Students live in fear of NEET, CUET and other centrally-mandated examinations and the multiple glitches that plague them. No one knows who will be selected, what will be the criteria or when the academic year will start.
- The poor live in fear of unabated inflation, losing their jobs and soaring unemployment. Many have stopped looking for non-existent jobs. CMIE reported that 21 million women have dropped out of the labour force between 2017 and 2022.
I wish there was someone with authority who would reassure citizens that they can live without fear. Alas, today, there is none in India.