The shameful molestation of two women by a big gang of unruly new year revellers in posh Juhu area, Mumbai, has shocked every decent person. We need to take a close look at our moral health because our material bank balance may be improving but we are sliding into moral bankruptcy.
This fact should not be lost sight of that nations do not rise and advance by material development alone. It is the moral calibre of people which uplift them and bestows greatness upon them. History bears witness that the most disastrous thing for a nation has been moral degradation.
The west, in spite of its commendable material progress, is facing the ‘Great Disruption,’ to use the title of Francis Fukoyama’s book. It is the result of Godlessness, directionlessness and meaninglessness of life from which it suffers. Large sections of human beings there are throwing to wind family values, indulging in pre-marital and extra-marital sex, demanding unnatural degraded sex and coming down to the level of animals. Unfortunately among some people in our country the tendency to ape the decadence of west is on ascendance. Along with Mumbai outrage we have received similar news from Patna, Thane and Pune, all on the eve of new year celebrations.
Indian Express (January 7) has given gruesome details of another shocking gangrape and murder of a 14-year young Muslim girl in Maharashtra CM’s constituency Latur’s village Davangaon. That’s not all. The same issue reports that a 32-year old Dalit woman was gangraped in Ravidaspur near Kanpur. On the same page you will come across another painful report that a 19-year old college going girl from Santrampur in Panchmahal district of Gujarat has alleged that she was kidnapped and raped by 10 people, all her relatives. Unfortunately three women also were involved in the commission of this crime. The sordid stories are unending. The frightening thing is that the brutes are committing these crimes collectively in an organised manner.
The police is slack in fulfilling its duty, there is no doubt about it. But is it possible to police every criminal or would-be criminal when the people’s morals have gone to dogs? What we need is to give utmost attention to keep in control the animal in man. This requires inculcation of deep and strong sense of accountability to God, Who is ever watching upon us, Who is closer than our jugular vein. Most of these sexual assaults take place under the influence of alcohol. Therefore, Health Minister (we do not have any Ethics Minister yet) Ambumani Ramdas’ move to ban alcohol should be wholeheartedly supported. Should we tolerate this vice for the sake of getting revenue for our exchequer? What is the use of money which makes us morally seek and degrades us to the level of brutes?
In this regard media also should also play a healthy and responsible role. The popular magazine Outlook, commenting on the emerging trends, wrote that our magazines are about “food, fashion and fornication”. Such is the depravation growing in our educated, well-placed sections. Sexy stories, titillating descriptions, and pornographic presentations are shamelessly being published even by reputed English dailies. This is suppressing the Angel and supporting the Satan in human nature. A jihad has to be waged against these trends by all men of reason, who have been endowed with moral sense, and who value nation’s moral health.
Life is the greatest gift from God. It loses its value when it becomes directionless and purposeless. The greatness and success of man lies in submitting it to the dictates of his Creator. Only this can ensure the moral health of a nation. And in it alone is inherent the panacea for all our social ills.