Cops 038; politicians

Close to midnight last weekend,two pubs in central Bengaluru Bangalore found themselves hosting an unusual visitor: M.P. Renukacharya,excise minister in the Karnataka state government. Accompanied by a posse of cops,Renukacharya was cracking down obscene dancing,non-payment of excise,and other illegal activities. While the need to respect and enforce laws cannot be disagreed with,leading the troops from the front is a tricky call for a politician. His job is to make policy and to assert the supremacy of the law. So,the disturbing point about Renukacharyas late-night enthusiasm is not just that his presence was unnecessary for the raiding partys cause or that it was a publicity stunt but that it reflects a cynical political agenda.

Karnataka,morality and pubs have a history. In January 2009,Sri Ram Sene goons attacked a pub in Mangalore and assaulted the women present. Nation-wide outrage forced the BJP and the Yeddyurappa government to disown the Ram Sene. But Renukacharyas high moralising about obscene dancing carries the danger of reviving the Ram Sene streak of illiberalism,whether intentionally or inadvertently. The minister claims that his presence serves to signal zero tolerance of law-breakers. But in cases like these,it can be a thin line between law enforcement and vigilantism.

The distinction is crucial in spaces where individualism can clash with older orthodoxies,such as in rapidly globalising Bangalore. Renukacharya should let excise and police officials enforce the law as it may apply to alcohol licences,timings and employee security.