Moral Policing

Moral policing is a blanket term used to describe vigilante groups that act to enforce a code of morality in India. It is a system to restrict the persons who breach the basic standards of our society. 

Moral policing is based on the ideas of religious belief, cultural practices or sometimes even on the basis of laws, rules and regulations. In most cases, moral policing is aimed towards having a good society where pure cultural and religious practices are not polluted by any foreign influences. 

This article will provide information about Moral Policing in the context of the IAS Exam.

This topic is useful for GS Paper I, GS Paper II and GS Paper IV of the UPSC Syllabus.

The candidates can read more relevant information for their upcoming competitive exams from the links provided below:

Introduction

• Enforcing a code of morality in India by a group of vigilante groups is known as moral policing.
• Moral policing can be directed towards an individual, a couple or even towards a group of people if it is found in indulging in activities that are unacceptable by the vigilante group or the people who claimed themselves as moral police who take the law into their own hands in the name of protecting the culture, beliefs and social norms from any harm. 
• A few examples of Moral Policing are the restrictions imposed on the students in dress code, fashion, dyeing of hair inside the school premises.
• Any actions which are said to go against the values of Indian culture are targeted by moral policing.
• Moral policing could be an act carried out by law enforcement agencies, government or vigilante groups.
• The objective behind the actions of moral policing is resisting the cultural concepts which are considered to be imported from Western countries.
• Some of the instances of moral policing that has come to the attention are protesting against wearing western clothes, shutting down art exhibitions as the paintings were considered to be obscene by some section of the people, attacking bars, pubs and criticising the celebration of Valentine’s Day etc.
• Closure of bars by state governments, banning films by censor board or Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) have also been deemed as an act of moral policing.

Courts of India – Orders Against Moral Policing

• There have been many times when cases were filed in courts against actions that were deemed to be moral policing.
• In those cases, the courts of India have given verdicts that do not encourage moral policing either by Government or law enforcement agencies or by vigilante groups.
• Moral policing was never encouraged by the courts due to various reasons, predominantly those activities are against the basic fundamental principles laid down for the country.

Laws related to Moral Policing

• Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with obscene acts and songs. However, the word obscene is open for interpretation, as there is no clear-cut definition of an obscene act.
• Section 293 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with the prevention of distribution and sale of obscene materials to people who are below the age of 20.
• Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with the prevention of distributing and selling obscene materials, books, paintings.
• Most of these Indian laws on obscenity date back to 1860.

Moral Policing [UPSC Notes]:-Download PDF Here

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