551. Three Judgements

"Arresting journalists indiscriminately and incarcerating them for long periods has become a routine affair, in this fascist regime. Intimidated by this, many journalists have stopped reviewing the government's actions. I feel sad that Murthy became a victim of the government's highhandedness."

"It is true. Most of the journalists have chosen to sing the praise of the government. They depict even the corrupt, self-serving and pernicious actions of the government as being in the country's interest, so as to be in the good books of the government and get the benefits they want from the government. Some journalists like you and me, who are conscientious, have been doing a tight rope walking, by not blindly toeing the line of the government, while also not being critical of its misdeeds. But, journalists like Murthy have been boldly pointing out the wrongdoings of this government. They are being painted as antinational elements by the government, arrested on fictitious charges, under the draconian laws enacted by this government and put behind the bars for an indefinite period. People like us have to watch these atrocities silently and lament in private. Even while exchanging our concerns in the privacy of our office or a club, we have to be apprehensive of someone hearing us and reporting us!"

"The court is going to give its verdict on Murthy's bail petition tomorrow. I wonder what the verdict is going to be!"

"Yes. And another verdict is going to be delivered tomorrow!"

"It is on the public interest petition filed by a citizen seeking a probe into the corruption charges against that important person!"

"Yes."

"Can we not guess what the judgement on that petition is going to be? I expect that soon after the verdict is delivered, the person who filed that petition will be arrested on some charge."

"Yes. We can bet on such a development taking place. I am reminded of the lines in Bharathiyar's poem, 'In the devil's regime, the scriptures will be eaten by the cadavers.' We are experiencing what the poet warned us of. I am hoping for some miracle to happen in the next election, leading to a regime change."

"Okay. Let us meet again tomorrow evening."

"The verdicts in both the cases have been on expected lines."

"Yes. The judge has ruled that there are no grounds to order a probe into the corruption charges, levelled against the important person. I can stomach it, but I am saddened by the denial of bail to Murthy, though this was expected to happen."

"Yes. The judge accepted the government counsel's argument that if Murthy is released on bail, he is likely to indulge in seditious activities."

"Apart from these two judgements, another judgement was delivered today. Did you notice it?"

"What is it?"

"A person charged with murder has been given death sentence."

"Oh, what a pity!"

"You are showing compassion to a murderer!"

"I didn't mean to show my sympathy to the murderer. Perpetrators of crimes more heinous than murders have been getting immunity from punishment. Innocent people like Murthy have been incarcerated and denied bail. I just expressed my dismay at this pathetic state of affairs."

Thirukkural

Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 56

Tyranny

Verse 551 (in Tamil):

kolai mERkoNdarin kodidhE alai mERkoNdu
allavai seydhu ozhugum vEndhu.

Meaning:

The ruler who harries his citizens,

and indulges in unjust acts is worse than a murderer.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'mUnRu thIrppugaL' by the same author.)

Verse 552
Verse 550