Birds and animals have given us examples of their love for the elderly. In Goa, the converse is happening. A French national is desperately crying for help, saying she is surrounded by a gang of goons, who have trapped her in her home.
Has ‘might is right’ become the law-and-order template in Goa?
While the issue of property and possession is a court issue, French actor Marianne Chicherio is appealing to the authorities to save her from gangs. The fact that she needs protection from intimidation and threats is visible to all, but the police. She frantically reached out to the police even on Saturday night/Sunday early morning saying more people have landed at their home, building up pressure for her to leave so that the physical possession can be taken over by the widow of the original owner, who is asserting her rights over the property.
There’s something more serious: A charge that the uniformed force is looking the other way when goons are threatening an elderly woman is an eye-opener
This begs the question that is being asked about whether Goa’s politically powerful, who give orders to the police, have linkages with those intimidating the old woman and why?
This is being asked as one sees absolutely no empathy.
Can we ever lose empathy? Can the government and its ministers and police divorce humanity from their working?
Herald’s ground-level reporting and presentation of facts leave absolutely no doubt that the situation in Marianne’s home is a sensitive human rights and safety issue. Moreover, she is 75. If an elderly parent or older sibling of a minister, politician or police officer is scared, will they turn away from them?
A foreign national is involved. The French Embassy is aware. If the reputation that Goa is unsafe for foreigners grows, it will have a direct and irreversible impact, not only on tourism in Goa, but the country.
The excuse of this being a civil matter does not work. No cloak of civility can cover the criminal nature of the charges with police inaction giving strength to the charges of official and criminal complicity.
This brings us back to the core issue. The wilful hurt of the elderly is inhuman and this is something that the Human Rights Commission, the Courts and those elected to serve the people must take up.
There is no forgiveness for this kind of cruelty.
