Justice for Keenan - The complaint against the silent witnesses

Justice for Keenan - The complaint against the silent witnesses

There has been considerable outrage at the sad death of two young lads (M/s Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez) in Mumbai who were apparently trying to defend their friends (girls) against goons who were harassing them in the name of "eve-teasing".

Indeed, those goons had no business to do what they were doing.

Indeed, it is creditable that Keenan & Reuben chose to fight to save the honour of their friends.

Further, it is indeed true that if my own kith and kin, friends or colleagues were being "teased", I'd certainly be tempted to defend them with all my might, though, obviously, the precise manner in which I would have reacted would have depended on my perception of the circumstances at the time of the incident.

Having said all the above, I must confess that I don't agree with all the media folks, politicians and "page 3 socialites" complaining against the "silent witnesses" who were supposedly watching the tamasha without trying to intervene and save the lives (or subsequently assist in taking the injured to the hospital). I can understand the friends & relatives of Keenan & Reuben saying such things, as they would still be emotionally charged, and rightly so. I can understand the occasional cop / army person / student / brave-heart / social worker who happens to say such things, because, chances are bright that they would have actually plunged immediately to intervene and help in whatever manner they could under similar circumstances.

But then, folks, have a heart! The vast majority (probably 100%) of the people who were present on the eventful night would have been ordinary citizens who:

• Had no prior knowledge or skills required to intervene and stand a chance of survival against such goons, who were obviously well-prepared
• Had their own lives to lead
• Were stunned and scared into silence at the sheer audacity of the goons
• Have a clear idea about our cops - Most of us would want to have nothing to do with any cops at any point of time (after all, all of us have heard about how the cops barged into the ICCU room to "interrogate" Reuben. Imagine the kind of questions that we would have had to face for days thereafter from cops, paparazzi, et al)
• Have an approximate idea about our judicial system where even ordinary cases go on for years. It is one thing to invest an hour or two or even a day or two to help out a fellow citizen. It is another matter altogether if such a "help" would result in being called as a "witness" for years thereafter. Which boss or organisation is going to give permission / leave to attend such court cases? What if the good samaritan gets a job or an opportunity for higher education in a different city or country? The complications are way too many to even list down.

The easier and sensible option for the vast majority of us in such situations is to scoot / run / disappear before the event takes any ugly turn. If we're unable to disappear, the next best option would be to be a silent spectator and disappear quietly at the first available opportunity.

This would obviously appear heartless and cowardly. Unfortunately, that's the ground reality of life that prevails in India as of now.

Anybody who does intervene, if he / she survives the ordeal, would become a huge role model. I would doff my hats to such a person.

However, chances are bright that I would NOT intervene for saving a stranger. I certainly would not recommend that any of my friends or relatives should intervene in similar situations to protect a stranger.

Sad, but true.

People who suggest that we ought to intervene ought to wake up to the real India.

Regards,

N

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