Another face of racism
Owing to misuse of social media, truth is traveling at a snail’s pace. People are blind to truth now. Hence, people get to know rumours faster than the truth. Rumours are more attractive over truth. Rumours for their part, gain wings no sooner they are spread and people love them too. They easily fall prey to those rumours started by miscreants. People take law onto their own hands. In one such instance, people in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet have beaten a labourer from Rajasthan to death owing to a rumour relating to child lifters. One rumour that was circulated regarding child kidnappers, had spread like wildfire and this claimed its victim.
The fact that the Rajasthani fellow spoke to a child as a friendly gesture itself was enough to decide he was children kidnapper. People came to that conclusion immediately. And when they come together in groups, they get major bouts of bravery and false valour. Even the weakest man in the group turns into massive fighter owing to the egging on that happens in the group atmosphere. The cold cruel shades become strong colours. According to police department, this rumour about child kidnappers has led to 81 cases of people getting beaten up in the last 25 days. In many places innocent people have been beaten to pulp. This rumour about children kidnappers has spread in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and other places. This virus spreads faster than Nipah virus. Some people have even beaten up beggars who were begging to save their lives. One of them even lost his life.
Though these are sporadic incidents, deep down these can be classified as racism at a different level. Such groups are common in North India. Women have been put to death in Haryana and Jharkhand mistaking them to ‘witches’. Mostly, men who have plans of usurping single women’s property have spread such rumours to get them killed by a mob so that their job becomes easier. A hungry young tribal was killed in Kerala’s Palakkad. That is the highest form of racist violence we have seen in recent days. All those attacks on muslims for transporting the cattle in Haryana and Jharkhand are similar too. Muslims are the most hated community today and are biggest victims of racist violence. Small violences have turned into big time hatred for a community. Sikh massacre turned into Gujarat massacre.
Various group violence instances in Karnataka have happened on those labourers who came looking for employment from Rajasthan, Bihar and other surrounding places. Why should they be seen as robbers or kidnappers? Because they wear torn clothes?
All those who have stolen thousands of crores, have close links with politicians who wear suit-boot, have close contacts with underworld mafias. They wear branded and costly clothes. Aren’t they robbers? Why there isn’t a single attack on them by general public? The common people who come to a conclusion no sooner does a poor man speak to a child, do we show the same presence of mind when a well-dressed man speaks to a child? He could be one too!
We see the same racist violence being exhibited towards labourers who come from North Karnataka to cities like Bengaluru and Mangaluru. The way the bus conductors address them and treat them are different faces of racism. That someone could be ‘kidnapper’ is just a pretext. We need to strengthen our laws so strong that even if a mob lynches someone, we need to get them punished for the crime of having killed an innocent man. Even if the dead man is a child kidnapper, he has to be produced before the court. And no one has the right to take law onto themselves. The lynch mob needs to be taught a lesson by way of being awarded life sentence. Only then, their unruly behavior may come to some sanity.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
