Society in Transition

Last month’s attack on a Mangalore pub by activists of the Shri Rama Sena has been widely criticized by various NGOs and media persons. Since the incident, in which girls were attacked, has been condemned by almost all mainline political parties, one hopes such things will not be repeated. The outrage of NGOs and media persons on the unfortunate incident is timely since the incident is indicative of the increasing intolerance among sections of society and the tendency of some self righteous groups to take law into their own hands. Yet, in doing so, most people appear to be missing the proverbial wood for the trees. The Mangalore incident can’t be seen in isolation. There have been numerous such attacks in the past although not all of them hit the headlines. The annual hullabaloo over Valetine’s Day is only getting fiercer by the year. Besides, almost every day, there are media reports of “honour” killings in various parts of the country. Incidents of intimacy among boys and girls in public places and attempts by police and senior citizens to prevent them are also commonplace. These plus the trend toward live-in relationship that is catching up in metropolitan cities are all indicative of the changing social mores with which Indian society is yet to come to terms. What is happening in India is reminiscent of the pangs of transformation that the West went through from the medieval age to the modernity – passing through Tudor society, Stuart rule, Georgian times and finally the Victorian era. Newspapers, which continue to document transition along with other mediums of communication, became an accepted tool of discourse when invented. It resulted in the passing of the Act of Toleration in UK in the 17th century which gave freedom of worship to nonconformists. However, it was not till early 60s that the first major shift in attitudes came about in the West. In UK, it was when books like D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover, which was first published in 1928, were republished for wider sale that issues of sexual behaviour began to be openly discussed, which forced a relaxation of attitudes. The Establishment began to be challenged and the elders questioned by the youth. Pop music became a form of youth expression and dresses like miniskirt and hot pants were accepted and the Pill for birth control hit the market. The friction that one hears and reads about in India is the result of the pangs of transformation that the society is going through. There is a lot that has indeed changed. Four decades ago, even marriages by choice or love marriages were frowned upon. So also with inter-religion and inter caste marriages. While all these have come to be accepted in many parts of the country, other issues remain. Clearly the social goal posts have changed resulting in fresh confusion and conflict in day-to-day life. Even households steeped in liberal values are confused over issues like homosexuality and intimacy among their own youth leading to live-in relationships. Globalization and faster means of communication and travel is definitely speeding up the process, though low literacy rates in certain parts of the country will continue to impede the process of change. The social, educational and religious organizations, besides the media have a great role to play. But the onus for ensuring a smooth transition lies with the government, which must not only bring about laws that are in tune with the changing times but ensure that these are enforced fiercely. In UK, for example, homosexuality was legalized in 1967 and the Sexual Discrimination Act passed in 1975. The result was that any violation of the law was punished vigorously, forcing a change in attitudes among hardliners. In US, a major factor in the transformation of family relations and gender equations has been the Social Security Act passed in the 1930s. It transformed the family into a voluntary association that hangs together because the members want to hang together and not because financial dependency gives them no other choice. With the family in general ‘easing up’, the matter of children’s dating habits or partner choices became less tense for the parents. We need not necessarily ape the West, yet we can’t be oblivious of its effect on the youth at home. Under the circumstances, it is imperative that the laws are updated. Equipped with antiquated laws, police are often at a loss to take action against self-righteous groups who assume the right of moral policing.