Very often we have read and watched in the print and visual media how rich people complain about victimisation when they are caught in the act of stealing. In most instances the society keeps mum due to fear as they are very influential people or for other reasons namely why we should bother. Whereas, when poor person steals, the society immediately declares that person a thief and undertakes character assassination of the person including the entire family.
We are pretenders and react depending upon the person’s status. The rich steals due to greed and the poor steals for mere survival. The society instead of being vocal and confronting the rich for their wrongdoings goes one step ahead in glorifying and patronizing such wicked people. The poor person’s act of stealing is crucified and subjected to harsh treatment inclusive of full weight of law.
Why we as a society tend to give different tags to people who steal. A thief is a thief. A fraudster is a fraudster. A tax evader is also a gentlemen thief. We usually tend to welcome people with smart attire and sweet talking as if such people are trust worthy and honorable. In today’s India honesty is at the back foot and conmen ship is at the front foot. Even the most highly educated class is corrupt and master manipulators due to power and greed. Such corrupt educated class at many times grace occasions as chief guests or as guest of honor which doesn’t suit them at all as they have amazed huge ill-gotten wealth.
We haven’t seen any rich person who has amazed huge ill-gotten wealth going to jail and made to return all such undocumented unexplained wealth. Rich people who have amazed wealth through corrupt means including un-reporting of income are financial thieves as they have deprived the country’s progress on many fronts and therefore should be dealt with iron fist just the way it is practiced in China and Saudi Arabia.
We as Indians should stop worshiping and glorifying people who take the country for a ride. All unethical practices in business and at individual levels should be avoided in order to speed up our country’s progress in development. We should understand that the poor person who steals just needs to fill his belly and it is the rich people’s moral obligation to make sure such people are not victimized and prosecuted. Rich people should come forward and become philanthropists by helping the poor and needy.
It reminds me of an incident in Rome, Italy where the rich restaurant owner called up the police as the poor street person had stolen a pizza and was arrested. Immediately the incident went viral in the entire country and around the world. This incident in Rome, Italy lead to debate in the parliament of Italy and it was acknowledged that such people who steal food for survival should never be arrested.
Therefore, giving tag to people who steal for pure hunger as thief is totally inappropriate and unjust. Hope the society change their mindset and acknowledge the reasons why a person is a thief and what sort of grave offence has he committed before criticizing that person’s actions.
