Lopsided scales of Justice

Three centuries ago, Jonathan Swift compared the law to a cobweb. The small insects will be trapped, but the bigger creatures will rupture the web and get away. Justice, like truth, is an elusive ideal. American philosopher, Barrows Dunham, wrote in his controversial book Man Against Myth that “truth has been suffered to exist in the world just to the extent that it profited the rulers of the society.” Justice also has been similarly loyal to the powerful people.

Look at what is happening in India these days to understand this. Students of classes 4, 5 and 6 are charged with sedition because they staged a drama which questioned the prime minister. The headmistress and the mother of one of the students are arrested on serious charges. On the other hand, we have eminent political leaders of the ruling party who keep on delivering hate speeches day after day with impunity. Which is a greater crime: criticising the prime minister or spewing venom against whole communities of citizens?

Hardcore criminals sit in the Parliament as our rulers. These criminals make the laws for us. There are goons, murderers, rapists and terrorists among them. Some of these criminals wear the saffron. Wearing the religious garbs, they write off criminal charges against themselves.

Such things have happened throughout human history. What is new in India is that such things receive popular endorsement. A lot of Indians are happy with the present situation. They are happy just because the situation targets certain communities of people who are perceived as the country’s enemies.

Hundreds of thousands of people have suddenly become the nation’s enemies in India just because they believe in a different religion. These people were labelled invaders first, traitors then, and now their very citizenship is placed under the scanner. Who decides such things? Who decides that so-and-so is a traitor? Who decides the parameters of patriotism? Some criminals, of course. And millions of Indians just lap up the decisions of those criminals.

The real tragedy is that the nation is endorsing the views and decisions of criminals. Why have we capitulated our thinking skills? Why have we surrendered our rational faculties?

Pseudo-nationalism has taken the place of truth and justice and other ideals. Nationalism is a very emotive stuff. The nation has been driven to a chaotic dictatorship of emotions.

PS. This has been triggered by Indispire Edition 311: Why is Law lenient on the rich and powerful in India? A rich and powerful person often gets away with even the gravest of crimes while a common man has to run from pillar to post for getting justice. Are the scales of justice lopsided? #SwamiChinmayanandGetsBail

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