Col R
Hariharan
Two recent
incidents of crime using revolvers in quick succession in and around Chennai
show gun culture is making headway in Tamil Nadu. The significance of real
estate business connections in these incidents cannot be ignored at a time when
‘land grabbing’ cases is hogging the headlines. People are shocked because they are brought up
on the myth that Tamil Nadu is an amaithy poonga (garden of peace) unlike
North Indian states like the UP or Bihar known for their gun culture.
Though
Tamil Nadu is generally peaceful, violent crimes are not unknown, particularly
in Southern parts. They are usually acts of passion driven by broken
relationships and family feuds. The Veech aruval – a type of machete –
is the traditional weapon of choice for settling scores. The aruval has
a cult status; it is even worshipped along with the gods. The nagging question:
is the gun replacing the veech aruval? It seems so.
Traditionally
guns are displayed as a symbol of prestige; it is not uncommon in rural North
India to hear volleys of gun fire in wedding processions. Thanks to Hollywood
movies and their Indian clones, guns are now a part of macho identity. These
‘soft persuaders’ have made guns more acceptable to society even as organized
crime is providing a hard entry for guns into our daily life. Even kids seem to
prefer real life imitations of AK47 automatics for toys.
But growing
use of arms has political and law enforcement issues as well. Politicization of
criminals provides a great incentive for the growth of gun culture. The use of
muscle power for assertion of political power appears to be the unwritten norm
now. Its political role has a self-sustaining relationship with other criminal
acts like trafficking in drugs and women, corruption and money laundering. Over
the years, people appear to have accepted this phenomenon as their karma though
acts of nexus between criminals and the politicians continue to come under the
glare of media.
So it is
not surprising that people voted to elect 148 Lok Sabha members – that is
nearly a third of the total MPs - facing criminal! The information provided
under the right to information act also said 74 of them faced serious criminal
charges like murder and abduction. But wait, the icing on the cake is 18 of them
were among the 82 Lok Sabha members who purchased guns sold by the state
between 2001 and 2012. And one of them held the dubious record of having 44
criminal cases pending against him (probably creating yet another Limca
Record).
Abuse of law
enforcement and criminal justice system provide hot house conditions for the
growth of gun culture. Despite the recommendations of police commissions,
police operation continues to be hampered by political interference and money
power. The lumbering criminal justice system, with built-in delays and ponderous
procedures, enable the criminal to use it to his advantage. In addition to this,
we have nearly a third of the country is facing armed extremism of some kind or
other. Weapon smugglers find them a
lucrative market and illegal weapons find their way from neighbouring countries
like Afghanistan, Pakistan or Myanmar clandestinely.
Guns are
here to stay. So what is the way out? Political will is the fundamental
requirement to combat gun culture. Political parties need to focus attention on
curbing and eliminating their use with holistic strategies involving social,
political and organizational spheres by revamping systems and procedures to
make illegal trafficking and use of weapons dangerous for the criminal. Elimination of guns should become a part of
the national political and social movements.
Do we have the will to do so?
Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle, Chennai, October 13, 2012
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