Speech on assault on rave parties in India

Thanks for giving me time to share my thoughts. India is a free nation. It is a free democracy and it is a free society. As a citizen of India either by birth or by anyway other, we get certain constitutional rights. Rights that are derived from core human and our centuries old traditional values. And one of those rights is to choose how we live.



That said, unlike many western societies our social security is still families. Families are at the core of our fabric. Our democracy derives its energy from it. Mahatma's dreams of Panchayati Raj is a clear indication that in India democracy flows bottom up. If we need support - financial, psychological or emotional we revert to our families, our parents our siblings, our Pind, our community. And these societies over the years form what I call soft laws including certain behavioral guidelines. These guidelines are not written by a few on a piece of paper but are passed down to them by generations over centuries. Its the cost of social security they provide. Then there sits a big Gorilla called Indian constitution that supersedes all such laws and allows anyone who feels threatened by such social laws to seek protection under it. Such social laws can not be used as a justification to perpetrate violence or assault on people and law must take strong action against whoever does that.
I abhor such people and act, but I do support the very intent of such protest against the so called Rave parties. Some of the news that I have read about are nothing but disgusting. For pete's sake some of them were found with packets of condoms lying around with free flowing alcohol and nakedness. Would as a Dad, as a Parent as a family I approve my kid to go to such parties? Of course not and so am sure a bulk of this audience would not too. As a father I would do everything to register my protest against such events if I see that happen that I feel threatens my family and my values. I would not take a gun and shoot them up or break in or slap them around but I will make sure my and many such voices are strongly heard. Unlike many misconceptions Parents even in many western countries feel the same anguish and anger when they hear their kid is drinking, taking drugs or involved in sexual partnerships. Its a parental instinct and I strongly support my rights to do so.
When we were young 18, 19 or 21 we believed behavioral guidelines can not be thrust upon us and this is something that a Generation dictates. Let me say to you in '70s we saw a hippie culture. Where is that now? Are they relevant anymore? A lifestyle evolved in one generation has been disapproved by subsequent ones. So over a few generations the guidelines put forth by societies broadly remains by and large the same. And a sustainable change requires it being slow and not contextual. At the end it is us who make changes or safeguard our beliefs.

Thank you