Expressing concern over the burgeoning “love-related” violence, MLCs Chukka Ramaiah and K. Nageshwar have asked the Government to study the problem from the social and psychological angles apart from dealing it with a firm hand legally.
At a press conference here on Sunday, Mr. Ramaiah said the series of such incidents in recent times was disturbing and said the problem should be studied comprehensively involving sociologists, psychologists, legal professionals and the police. This time-bound committee’s report should be put up for public discussion and taken seriously in order to prevent such attacks. Stating that classroom atmosphere is disconnected with society, he said colleges need to engage students and provide other means like sports, extra-curricular activities, literary activities and social issues to channelise their energies. There is a need to change the mindset of students to deal with such issues effectively. Referring to teachers indulging in indecent activities, he pointed out that there could be nothing low in the life of a teacher than losing the confidence of students.
He said the production, sale, distribution and transportation of acid should be strictly regulated. He reminded that West Bengal had banned easy availability of acid and similar steps should be taken here also.
Prof. Nageshwar said there was a strong co-relation between such heinous acts and portrayal of “love” in vulgar form in films. He said that the film and television industry should observe self-regulation or else they are bound to incur the wrath of the society given the growing crime. He said education in colleges had become a torture with focus only on the “success rate” .
Non-bailable offence
He felt attacks by spurned lovers should be treated as non-bailable offences as the softer side of law was encouraging a feeling among culprits that they could go scot-free. Fast tracks courts should be established to try these cases.
Madhusudhan Reddy, general secretary, Government Junior Lecturers Association, said they were planning to conduct seminars in all the districts to sensitise students on such issues. Juluri Gowrishanker, president, Ramaiah Vidya Peetham said television channels were glamourising crimeand they would mobilise people to put pressure on the channels to do away with such tendency.