Watch: Heights of moral policing or a well-deserved reprimand over a T-shirt?

Man wears a T-shirt with derogatory message, reprimanded by a bystander and police. The man speaks in his defence, saying if it was ok to sell a T-shirt like that in the market, but not ok to wear it? Bystander posting the video brews up a storm.

How would you feel when you find a stranger commenting on your T-shirt unasked and then creating a ruckus over it? A viral video that surfaced took Bengalureans by shock as a boy in a red T-shirt was seen gheraoed by the police and was seen scolded for the message on his T-shirt, which read "Stop Jerking Start F*$king." As the man reprimanded him for wearing a T-shirt like that, he went a step ahead and called the police for support. 

The incident happened in Forum Mall Koramangla where the boy had come to watch a movie at the PVR cinemas. A bystander, Parul Agarwal, recorded the entire incident and later posted the video on Facebook stating the bizarreness of the incident. Agarwal wrote in her post, "The guy was asked to exit PVR premises, buy a new T-Shirt, change and then enter the theatre."

In the video, one can see the man defending himself by saying, "It was available in the market. It’s okay to sell it, but not wear it?” However, the plea fell on deaf ears.

Agarwal, further says in her post, "The presence of the policemen made it difficult for regular people to jump in and help the guy. People wondered if he really had done something wrong. Was it theft or eve-teasing when all he did was wear a T-shirt?” 

When the man decided to leave the premises, the policemen call him back took pictures of his T-shirt for evidence. Agarwal said, "that’s when me and my friends, along with some other bystanders raised voices and asked what was so wrong about wearing a T-shirt and what law he was flouting by being in a public place in that shirt."

Agarwal also reached out to the Bengaluru Police via Twitter. The police was prompt in its response.

According to the Section 293 IPC, "Sale, etc., of obscene objects to young person.—Whoever sells, lets to hire, distributes, exhibits or circulates to any person under the age of twenty years any such obscene object as is referred to in the last preceding section, or offers or at­tempts so to do, shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees."

So, the question that arises now is whether the police was right in reprimanding the guy in red-shirt because he violated Section 293 IPC? Or was it tad too much for the police to take notice of the message and waste their time in an issue as small as this, instead of attending to more important cases?

The Twitter and Facebook post by Parul has brewed up a storm and people are divided in their opinions about it. While some say, it was right to reprimand the boy for his display of vulgarity, others believe that the matter should have been ignored. Personally speaking, the text was vulgar, giving away a message that the Indian society was already struggling with. Rapes, gangrapes and molestations are some very common crimes in the city, which does not even spare babies and the elderly. In such a situation, if you are propagating a message like that, it goes against you. 

True, it could have been ignored since T-shirt messages are just few of several ways youngsters try to draw attention toward themselves. But, they should also know where to draw the line. After all, we are all responsible citizens of India and we should not exploit our freedom of expression in this way. Going by the defence of the boy, sale of such material should also be checked. 

I am neither defending the boy nor the police, but I am defending the conscience that all of us have. We have to be responsible enough to understand what example are we setting in front of others since our action depends on our thought process. The Indian society is flexible enough to accept a lot of things and behaviour, owing to the freedom of expression we enjoy, but we should ensure that we preserve the sanctity of the fundamental rights that are bestowed on us. We should respect each other as human beings, irrespective of our gender, and that should reflective in our actions and behaviour.