PDA in Kolkata metro: Delhiities condemn the incident
A couple was recently beaten up by elderly persons in Kolkata, for hugging each other on the Metro train. We speak to Delhiites, about the incident, who mostly condemn the act.
Public display of affection (PDA), has time and again raised the question — how much is too much. And the recent incident in Kolkata, which saw a young couple being thrashed by their metro co-passengers for hugging and standing too close to each other, got the debate fuelled. So, is moral policing an answer to PDA? When we spoke to Delhiites about the incident, and this is what they had to say...
‘Beating a couple isn’t the solution ‘
“What happened was unfortunate. Hugging in public shouldn’t be an offence. The people who had beaten them should be punished. People may have different opinions but beating isn’t a solution,” says Prateek Ailawadi, 26, IT consultant.
‘People should also stand-up when girls are molested’
“It’s a shame for Kolkata metro authorities. Is it legal to beat a fellow passenger? I wish people in India had the same courage when a girl is molested in broad daylight but we don’t see that,” says Archit Juneja, 27, entrepreneur.
‘Can’t a friend hug another friend?’
“I’m against any kind of violence. Hugging is a gesture of love and affection. The reaction just shows how insecure we are about our own traditions. It’s sick. I don’t know what era we are living in,” says Mayank Garg, 20, student.
‘We don’t know how to respect others ‘
“I’m shocked to hear about the incident. I hug my friends every day after college. No matter what, this thrashing can’t be justified. It shows how ignorant we are about our rights,” says Shivam Shandilya, 20, DU student.
‘We should get rid of the mental block’
“If we look at the whole matter from another point of view, probably the elderly people had no clue what the couple was doing. They must have assumed that it’s against Indian ethics. But it’s 21st century and we should get
rid of this mental block,” says Naina Gupta, 28, homemaker.
‘We need strict laws against moral policing’
“This shows how two- faced we are. Eve-teasing is common on metro trains, but no one says anything about it. But when people are hugging, they are beaten up. We need strict laws against moral policing,” says Harshita Goyal, 21, student.
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