The Culture of Hooliganism

The culture of Delhi can be described in one word: Hooliganism.

As I write this blog, the gates of the university have been closed down. A bunch of drunks entered the premises in a car (license number starts with DL 3C Y...I forgot to taken down the number. Silly me!). The versions vary. According to the security guard posted in front of my building, the security at the gate asked for verification. Instead of showing ID cards, one of the car occupants took out a pistol. The security immediately closed the gates. However, according to one of the faculty, the car occupants went to one of the dhabhas and started misbehaving with one of the girls. When someone objected, the guys flashed a pistol. The students immediately tried to gherao the hooligans who tried to escape. The gates were shut down.

The police have arrived with an alacrity. They want the hooligans to be released and an FIR to be filed in the police station. However, the students are adamant. The FIR will be lodged within the premise. The hooligans will not be released till then because no one has any faith in the police. The arrival of the police with such speed makes the community suspicious that the hooligans have some tie up with big shots.

Their suspicions are not without foundations. Witness what happened to Manu Sharma. The difficulties that it took to punish him or Vikas Yadav or the killer of Priyadarshini Mattoo. And when they were punished, did they learn their lesson? Oh no. Daddy dear ensured that his darling spoilt son gets a parole. The parole was given thanks to the Delhi Government. The son went back to doing what he knew best- go to a bar and create a ruckus.

Delhi is witnessing an increase in this sort of behavior. Guns are flashed at the drop of a hat. Road rage is common. Mowing down others is routine. My colleague told me a story. She was driving a car and waiting at the stop light. The road was as usual jammed because no one wants to follow any rules. One of the driver got annoyed at another driver. He got out to remonstrate with the fellow. The fellow took a gun out and said: Do you want to get shot at?

That is Delhi.