People's Democracy

AIDWA Condemns Meerut Moral Policing Incidents

THE AIDWA, UP unit has condemned the outrageous behaviour of the Meerut police in taking on the role of the gate keepers of public morality, and assaulting couples who had come to spend time together in parks. In a statement the AIDWA stated that this was a clear violation of human rights, and demanded immediate action against the erring policemen and policewomen.

It expressed shock at further attempts made by some VHP/Bajrang Dal activists to enforce codes of conduct in public places, with reports of a repetition of violence against couples in the same park in Meerut. Accounts received say that girls have been rudely evicted from the park, and boys physically assaulted. This shocking curtailment of individual rights of youngsters to spend time together is impermissible and illegal, felt the organisation.

AIDWA demanded that misuse of power by the police and attempts to arbitrarily impose morality codes by Bajrang Dal/VHP goons should be stopped immediately, as it has serious implications for the democratic polity. "There should be swift disciplinary action against those involved, and the UP government should ensure there is no repeat of such undemocratic and authoritarian assaults on people using the park", it stated.

Opining that young couples sitting together can in no way be construed to be committing an offence, the AIDWA asserted that the right of ordinary citizens to use public spaces like parks without getting hounded by self appointed keepers of morality has to be upheld. It called upon all democratic minded sections to come forward to safeguard this fundamental right.