The Collective Conscience

Why do the lives of some seem cheaper than others?
Dr Mudasir Firdosi

Thirteen years ago a drunk driver drove his car on a footpath crushing many poor souls, sleeping rough. One was killed and many injured. With more than a decade of lengthy court proceedings he was finally found guilty and awarded a few years prison sentence. While many were betting on the verdict, some were praying to their gods and goddesses for his alleged innocence and favourable verdict, no one remembered the victims of the crash.

India, where more than fifty percent population lives in poverty, one would have thought that majority will identify with the victims but the situation seems quite opposite. The social media is full of fury from elite to middle class to anyone using Facebook or Twitter, condoning the drunken driving incident. Some pleading that it was not his fault and people should not have slept on the footpath. Some stooped further declaring all those homeless worse than dogs. Most of the TV channels or media houses even forgot to mention about the plight of poor victims and ironically no one reported that a drunk driver was found guilty and hence appropriately sentenced. Some justify the action by quoting other elites who have killed people in similar manner and have never been questioned or arrested. Some talk about 2002 Gujrat riots and how even the convicted murderers got out on bail.  Some are worried about 200 crore loss to Bollywood and many are praising him as a philanthropist and saviour of poor, trying to influence the judicial process. Sadly one man tried to end his life in front of the court from almost same very social class as the actual victims in protest against the verdict. 

This begs a serious question, what has happened to the nation’s conscience. How do you call the country as largest democracy on one hand but want to impose princely rules on the other hand for select few. Why do the lives of some seem cheaper than others? Where did it get wrong?  Does it have to do anything with the prevailing post-colonial mentality and VIP culture? How much is the media responsible for shifting public perception and make anyone a villain or hero. Does the public sentiment have any bearing on courts verdict? Only few years back while deciding the case of Afzal Guru, even the Supreme Court of India mentioned in the judgement about ‘the collective conscience of nation’ and keeping it at centre of decision making. By that logic the court seems to have got it completely wrong after all it does not matter whether the evidence is there or not when it comes to what nation wants.

Surprisingly the higher court suspended the five year sentence till further hearing quite unlike the numerous cases where common people have to wait for months even to get a bail for petty crimes. Does that mean the judicial process is influenced by power, money and public opinion?

What else can be the reason knowing that someone has done a crime by taking an innocent life but people still feel sympathetic towards the perpetrator. Whenever, someone is considered superior for any reason, it becomes a breeding ground for injustice and lawlessness. People are even indifferent to some draconian laws framed by the state which provides impunity to ‘killers and rapists’. The deep rooted issues with inequality, racism, caste, communalism and elitism have been normalised and even the victims fail to see the injustice. The rampant corruption seems to have crept beyond the material world having been normalised at religious, moral and ethical level. 

The psychological state of ‘learned helplessness’, which results from prolonged use of coercive methods, either physical or mental, makes people to lose their free thinking.  When people feel that they have no control over their situation they may also begin to behave in a helpless manner. This inaction can lead people to overlook opportunities for relief or change. This phenomenon has taken over the majority. Even though apparently free to choose and act there seems to be a need to worship VVIPs and people in power and take their actions for granted even if it costs the life of common man. The mere acceptance of differential treatment depending on fame and power speaks volumes about the slave mentality and ignorance about basic human rights.

If celebrity goes to prison or is let go, probably does not matter much. But it is worrying when common man identifies with the offender and ignores the sentiments and rights of fellow citizens. Last but not the least; anyone can be a victim and it is never late to let the justice prevail.

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