Thiruvananthapuram: Founder Chairman of IBS Software Services V.K. Mathews and poet K. Sachidanandan have strongly condemned the moral police brigade and their activities in the state.
In a Facebook post, Mathews urged the government to take stern action against perpetrators and protect the freedom of citizens especially that of women and children. Satchidanandan remarked on the online discussion group Fourth Estate Critic; “I become very self conscious now in Kerala especially talking to those in the opposite sex.’’
According to Mathews, the recent incident of moral policing demonstrated intolerance, breach of individual freedom, ignorance and a step backwards.
“While we can be very protective about our mother, sisters, wife or daughters, we must know that we don’t own them as a possession and hence cannot dictate their social or moral conduct. It is their choice and discretion and the law permits it as their fundamental right. In a civilised society we educate and encourage people to learn to remain safe, healthy, happy and of course law-abiding,” he said.
Satchidanandan said; “Good to see the positive responses. I should admit here that 23 years in Delhi have helped me overcome lot of typical Malayali inhibitions esp about touch which might have originally come from the caste system which is based very much on the ideology of touch and of space. Now my problem is when I go to Kerala- as it has become so natural for me to talk to men and women in the same way, touching them on the shoulders or hands and, in the case of friends, hugging them. I become very self-conscious in Kerala now esp while talking to those in the other (consciously avoiding 'opposite') sex. I think the younger generation is more open, I do not know. But with the number of the proponents of untouchability on the increase, I fear that openness too may not last,’’ he said.
