Friday, May 08, 2015

Status, wealth, power in India's justice system...

On Wednesday, local television networks and social media platforms in India were abuzz with news of Bollywood actor Salman Khan's conviction and sentencing for a hit-and-run case that dates all the way back to 2002.

From nitpicking about what a five-year jail term means for one of the subcontinent's biggest entertainers, to absurd, almost offensive, commentary about the reasons and legitimacy of Mumbai's homeless sleeping on pavements, it was a strange narrative to follow.

But throughout the whole event, one thing appeared to be quite clear: That some sections of India's elite still think they should be able to get away with doing the wrong thing, even when they acknowledge fault. There is a deep-rooted culture of entitlement here, that many are still resigned to, that perpetuates and encourages this view of the world.

In a country where status, power and money still get you a long way, this approach is understandable, because, put simply, that's just how society, politics and business operate. But it also highlights just how much work needs to be done to achieve the great Indian utopia, one that leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi enthusiastically promise: Transparency, fairness and prosperity for all.

The ground realities of India's class system, and as a result, who fortune, politics, and the legal system often favour, seem to be a leading reason why Khan's five-year jail term caught so many people - including his own, mostly poor and middle class fans - by surprise. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. What if Salman Khan had run over a fellow Bollywood superstar?
  2. India and Bollywood furious at Shah Rukh Khan's 'detention' at US airport...
  3. India's crocodile tears over a diplomatic slight...
  4. India sex assault case spotlights powerful predators...
  5. Gang-raped by 40 men, victim in India waits 17 years for justice...
  6. When low-caste Dalits in India are raped and killed by upper-caste thugs

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