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An estimated 5-minute read

Jessica. Basanti. What's happening after that???

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A lot is being said and written about the movie "No One Killed Jessica". No doubt, it is a good movie, though not one of those path-breaking classics, but indeed a relief from usual Bollywood types. 


Please don't think I'm writing a review on this movie because for that there are a lot better sites then this one.  What motivated me to write is a thought that crossed my mind when I was watching it. Towards the end, it shows the “public activism” towards the whole Jessica Lall murder case issue, the different protests and how all this led to justice. What makes all this better is that it was a real story and this movie might create a new wave, just like the one created some 5-6 years back by another great movie Rang de Basanti. That movie sort of brought an “awakening” and led to formation of some new NGO’s; chain mails and texts; youth talking about change in India, which is all good, but it lasted only till the movie was there. Soon it was all forgotten. And I’m sure, the same will happen now.


Have you ever thought how and why we are like this? We all know problems in our country. In fact, if there is a competition, an Indian citizen can win it by citing hundreds of them. But the solution, just one: “It will go on till we get good government and to get good government we need to be smart and to be smart we need education and to get education we need money and if not money, at least a good government” Simple. Right? We all are like this. We complain that India is not clean and very next moment, throw the empty lays packet roadside even if there is a litter-box just 5 steps away. And same goes with every other thing. It all goes on till some inspired film-maker makes a movie, enlighten us and after a month that same light fades away and we are back to be as we are (and “we” includes even me).


I’m no saint. I’m not going to open some NGO, wear khadi and keep doing random stuff. I’m a corporate guy. I want to get into a corporate law firm and mint money and I don’t think there is anything wrong with it as long as I’m aware and I’m doing my part towards society. My question is: are you?   


But yes, I have to agree on one thing that we are very good at discussions, especially law students and legal fraternity. We can talk about random topics for hours.  I have seen that happening many times on this very site. But when it comes to solutions or its implementation, nothing at all. There are laws, books, cases about “Corporate Social Responsibility” but have you ever came across anything like “Society’s Social Responsibility (SSR)”. I remember reading a speech or an article by our ex-President of India, Mr. Abdul Kalam and he had rightly said that there are many problems which if the society decides, can solve on itself. We won’t even need a Government to do that for us.


I take two of such problems and tell you how we can tackle them provided we are ready to do our part.

Problem A
: Backlog of cases


We have lakhs or may be crores of cases pending before courts which is not only hampering the justice system but also leading to wastage of resources, money, time that cannot be valued. When asked BCI gives a one line answer: “We need more courts, more judges and more people joining litigation rather then corporate”. Yeah right, classic example of “how to shed your responsibility.” Tell me one thing, why should I join judiciary or litigation for this reason only when I know that despite having one of the largest judicial systems it is only because of the poor functioning that we are in this condition.


Solution
: Simple math. Around 60 years back, the British said bye-bye to us and left us on our own. But since then we are following the same court system, holidays schedule and “judges are lords” scheme while our population is in race for top position. No offence to anyone, but I don’t understand the need of having summer and winter breaks in courts. They are not schools. And if it is indeed because of climate, then thanks to global warming, June is not the hottest month anymore and January is much colder than December. And even then, when the whole country- right from labourers to MNC people- can work in scorching heat and air conditioned board rooms, why can’t the Courts and Advocates and that too when most of the Courts have cooling system. In fact, realizing their responsibility Courts should also work 2 Sundays a month (corporate guys work all 4 Sundays because client needs reports on Mondays). Secondly, even though Government and Judiciary are different, Courts are something like government bodies and when Government employees get salary, reach office on time (seldom) and complete their work (rarely), why shouldn’t the Courts. The question is: are the advocates and the policy makers who follow this site (and who might read this somewhere else) ready to realize their SSR and take this step? I don’t think so (but I would love to be proved wrong).


Problem B
: Litter and poor sanitation.


Solution
:

1.   Use dust-bins to throw your waste and not as a wicket for gully-cricket.

2.  (only for guys) its high time we stop pissing around (in literal sense) cos I read somewhere that we are losing some Billions of Dollars just because we treat every other wall, outside the vicinity of our house, as a Toilet.

 

The question is same: are we ready to change and do this much? I tell you what, do this first and then we will talk about India’s nuke deal, scams, environment and our favorite- Corruption.


[Like a piper waits for money after his show, I’m looking forward to your comments, curses and “golden words”. It would be awe-some if you can mention a problem and a solution to it, lets try to stay Awakened].

 

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