India is a nation blessed with an exceptional constitution, not just exceptionally comprehensive, just and impartial but also exceptionally voluminous, archaic and irrelevant at times. Certain instances which have now become accepted as part of our lives still exist in the archaic law as violations. Our politicians lack the will to accept what is already prevalent but would make for a bold political and moral step. The country which claims to be the world's largest democracy still has a sedition law, which was enacted to prevent dissidence against the British rule. Betting is still illegal in the land where in Diwali it's a part of tradition. Driving age is 18 but where movies have school boys driving in Ferraris. Prostitution is too taboo to even make a reference and drinking is acceptable but too bold a step politically.
India is no longer the nation of snake charmers that it used to be but we still resist taking things heads on. We as a nation love status-quo in taboo topics. Resent fixing scam yet again proves the futility in banning betting in India. All that it leads to is a huge loss in revenues to the government and makes for an excellent business opportunity for the underworld. If as a nation we are mature enough to compete with the superpowers of this world. We could surely handle betting just as we have handled the pizzas and burgers and in any case just making it illegal doesn't stop people indulging in it. People in your school, college, company or locality would all be doing it somewhere.
Our laws on sedition are a modification of the archaic laws to protect the authority of the King of England. Where is a place for such an anti-democratic law in the world's largest democracy? Why should there be a law to prevent children under 18 from driving, if you don't have the resources to implement it? You, your cousin or someone in your family would surely have done it but still this rational thing is a political faux pas. How many of you even know the legal drinking age in your city? For those of you who have had a drink in Delhi, just to tell you it's 25 years here. Probably the highest alcohol consuming state of the country, Punjab, has also set it at 25. Whereas, Maharashtra only permits beer at the age of 21 but for any other kind of alcohol it's again 25 and of course in Gujarat any consumption is illegal. See for yourself if you are already an offender or not. What might surprise you though is that the among the boldest state here is UP which has a legal drinking age of 18.
Prostitution is another such topic which is taboo for everyone. I keep on seeing the adverts of so many massage parlors around. Don't know if massaging has such a huge market in India. Then we have states like Goa, which will have agents poaching you like the taxi drivers outside outside a station. There are so many NGOs working for the sex workers in the nation. I guess these exist only because some number of sex workers do exist and of course who doesn't know what GB Road is famous for. It's just that we prefer not to talk about it.
Now think of a day if all these laws are enforced strictly. A couple of colleges would be running empty for sure. Maybe more than a couple. But what about a democracy for the people and by the people. This gives too much power in the hands of people like Vasant Dhoble to carry on there moral policing in a democratic land. It's time we make our constitutional youthful as well and start accepting what is in front of our eyes. I hope no one uses the other tool of the law against this post. Yes, that famous Section 66 :)
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