Sunday 13 May 2012

A matter of grave import to the nation

The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India is a very esteemed body and is concerned with matters of grave constitutional importance, on which hinges the future of this nation of 1.2 billion people.  Therefore when this august body makes a ruling, we should take it very seriously and comply. It also goes without saying that the Supreme Court only rules on extremely weighty matters and does not lend itself to trivialisation. It is therefore very clear that the removal of sun films from car windows is one of the most important and pressing of issues that confronts India today.

The Supreme Court has ruled, after intense deliberation, and careful consideration of legal issues that pasting a sun film on your car window is illegal. That it has devoted its valuable time to this, while it is suffering from a massive backlog of cases is enough evidence that this is an extremely grave matter. A very concerned citizen of India, Mr  Avishek Goenka (it is completely untrue,  that the aforesaid gentleman is an old f@*$, of the qualities I alluded to in this post) filed a Public Interest Litigation that sun films on car windows was an important reason for rape, dacoity, murder and a host of heinous crimes . The Hon'ble Supreme Court agreed. From now on , thou shall ride a car with sun films on the windows at your peril.The implication of this judgement is obviously that as soon as sun films are removed, the incidence of dacoity, rape, etc etc shall drastically fall. Please monitor the statistics in the next few months to see this dramatic fall.

The police in each state is getting ready to diligently implement this critical matter of public policy. They shall now treat sun film violations on par with catching those driving without a license, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving without any lights at all, five people riding a two wheeler, parking in the middle of the road etc etc. These matters already receive the highest attention from the police, so much so that these problems are largely licked ; they will now have the time to tackle sun film.

The Hon'ble Supreme Court did not mention this, but we can speculate that the corollary effect on public health also influenced its opinion on the matter. We are somewhat concerned that Vitamin D deficiency is at an unacceptably high level in India. Exposure to sunlight, especially the intense summer sun that we are blessed with, is really a significant aid to the health of the nation. With no sun films on car windows, my vitamin balance will be strengthened by the absorption of more sunlight.

A byproduct of this move shall also be to enhance public morality. Activities of an amorous nature, carried out in the confines of a car will now be visible to the, umm,  naked eye and therefore act as an effective deterrent.

I shall also compliment Mr Avishek Goenka on services to the nation and exhort him to continue to strive for further reducing dacoity , rape, etc,. Considering that a significant proportion of such crimes are done indoors, its time to turn the attention to buildings. It is deplorable that building windows are tinted and the view blocked by curtains. I am exhorting Mr Avishek Goenka to move the Hon'ble Supreme Court to also deliberate upon the legality or otherwise of curtains. (Reflections, please note).  After winning this, Mr Goenka is also exhorted to move the Hon'ble Supreme Court to ban the wearing of sunglasses so that potential rapists who are ogling at women with the intention of committing rape can be more easily found out.

I am extremely happy to be living in a land where the institutions are so concerned about my welfare and safety. I shall now feel much safer on Indian roads knowing that policemen are on the look out for sun film offenders. I commend and applaud all those who have diligently framed this public policy. Jai Hind.

24 comments:

Shachi said...

ROFL - hats off to you for such a hilarious post!

But seriously, I can't believe there WAS such a ruling for the reasons mentioned - ugh!

TMM said...

The law is an ass. I rest my case

Sandhya Sriram said...

i feel that these small people who worry for small causes and make an impact nationwide are infact heroes.

of course, this case is seemingly frivilous. but just imagine if an Avishek Goenka can make the supreme law organization of this country feel so strong among so many other pressing and more impactful things that are crying for attention, isn't it commendable.

Now my perspective. I would personal feel more safer, if the taxi I take on a route that i dont know doesnt have a sun film. while it is that one case that would happen in thousands, that one case can leave a life devastated. maybe this wasnt the right solution. maybe, we could have found some modified version. something that balances out atrocities of the hot sun and many man made atrocities. butI Continue to Stay Foolish :-)

Appu said...

MASS POST :P :D

J said...

Time to adopt the ninja costume in cars as well :)

Interesting in the US, the darkness of the tint allowed varies by state. So for instance in Arizona, the max tinting permissable is much darker than in Illinois.

Deepa said...

I am spoilt in Pune and Mumbai where you really have to invite trouble as a gal by waving both arms in the arm! But anywhere else in the country, I will not step into a car with tainted windows. In Delhi and suburbs I will not step in any unknown car, windows tainted or otherwise! :D For whatever it's worth, I will not ridicule the law all that much!

I can understand there are more pressing issues on hand, but those are difficult to tackle with so many vested interests. Mr. Goenka simply chose an easier battle to become a hero!

Vishal said...

I had been thinking how would this ruling benefit us. May be for the reasons mentioned by you. Will wait to see the statistics in future.

Whether policemen look inside the car for crimes and criminals or not, one thing is sure they will definitely look at the sun films. :)

Ramesh said...

@Shachi - Beware milady; thou shall not use "modern" language when talking of the esteemable court. If you say "hon'ble" instead of "Hon'ble", your petition will be thrown out ! I'm not making that up !!

@Kiwi - That is a debatable point :)

@Sandhya - Oh sure - there are many other such esteemable decisions given by the Hon'ble Court. We shall, but bow to them.

@Zeno - Beware. Pl read advice given to Shachi. Another nugget. When in court you cannot turn your , ahem, posterior to the judge. If you want to leave the room, you have to walk backwards, bowing all the time. Again, not making this up !

@J - Ah well, your state is unique in this world, given the sort of laws they are passing. Next, they might even regulate the tint on our skins !

@Deepa - I can imagine young lady, of you arriving in Delhi and refusing the limo that came to pick you up because the glasses were tinted :)

@Vishal - My only worry is that while the policeman has flagged you down and examining your window, he is at grave risk of being mowed down by the blighter who is coming at 100 kmph on the wrong side of the road.

Deepa said...

@Ramesh- picture this 'the chauffeur opens the door, I hold my tiara and get in, straighten my gown, put some shades and say, "could you roll down the windows please!"

Preeti Shenoy said...

*Applause* I bow to thy writing skills! You're the master of with and sarcasm.
Please write that book Ramesh!

Hema said...

LOL! Hilariously sad.
Your writing style is as interesting as the point of contention here.
The Hon'ble supreme court has taken some decision atleast. If it can save a few lives or some devastating memories, it is still worth it to drive away untinted!

May the streak of sunshine flowing in enlighten our lives!

Vikas Goyal said...

Incorrect to say that the judgement prescribes removal of sun film. It simply suggests that the sun film applied on the front glass be lighter than the one on the side windows of the vehicle. The blog is written in a humorous fashion, but distorts the facts.

Ramesh said...

@Deepa- Pefect. I can see that picture very clearly. :)

@Preeti - Awwww. Honoured immensely, considering who this comment is coming from.

@Hema - You make a very important point. Some decision is better than no decision.

@Vikas - Thanks for visiting this blog and your comment. Alas, unfortunately sun films are indeed entirely banned. While the Supreme Court has laid down tint levels for front and side windows, these are valid only if the original car manufacturer tints the glass. Once it comes out of the manufacturer you cannot alter the tint levels in any way, even within the permissible levels. Sun films are out anyway. If you have them, you have to get it removed.

K.Venkataraman said...

Ramesh Sir:

My concern is basic. The Supreme Court as the ultimate judicial authority should not be concerned with the details of cases like dark films in car windows. It should give judgments on interpretation of laws, especially constitutional laws. It should resolve disputes between a state and a state; between the center and a state. At the Supreme Court the level arguments should be confined to the points of law and judgments should be short and concise. Only in rarest of rare cases it should enter cases on the original side. All cases should be disposed of swiftly within a time frame. At the Supreme Court entertaining of personal writ petitions at the first instance should be totally done away with. All writ petitions should end with the High Courts.

Ramesh said...

@Venkatraman - As always, your ideas on the judicial system are inch perfect. Their Lordships must listen to you.

Reflections said...

You write so well that I'm so tempted to agree with u.....no seriously:-).

Agree there are more pressing matters but I feel there is something to this; transparency is important on all levels atleast in public. Here in UAE it is a rule that cars owners cannot tint their windows though school buses can[upto a specific %]. And u very well how hot it can get here but we all comply because the rules came in to curb down nefarious activities[mainly liquor & women].

It also reminds me..years back on my way back from college I often saw police knocking on parked cars with tinted windows & minutes later guilty teens emerging out of it. And this is just grazing the surface.
But I do agree it is not fair on the part of the SC to lay down such stringent rules; surely we can use lightly tinted windows.

Reflections said...

Just noticed, most of ur women commenters are one on this;-P.

And what book is Preeti talking about???
U r writing a book;-o???
U didn't tell us anything;-(.

Ramesh said...

@Reflections - Poor teens !! Better in a car than on the park bench , isn't it :):)

Awww - you are so kind. Preeti is just pulling my leg - me not in the class of book writers.

Anonymous said...

I just found out the list of other PILs Avishek Goenka has had... On his blog (er...) http://www.saveaamadmi.com/pil-gallery.html there are other such PILs he has filed... The crusader who seems to take up the things that make the aam aadmis life a misery and beaurocratic...

Ramesh said...

@Anon - Thanks for digging this up. I am now absolutely convinced about what I said in the post - Mr Avishek Goenka is NOT an old f@*$, with nothing else to do in life :):)

Anonymous said...

A. Goenka has to be a saddist. Is he close to the expiry date oor have more years left to come up with grave matters concerning our safety

Ramesh said...

@Anon- Shhhhh. You should say that the gentleman is a noble soul - else he will file a PIL against you !!!!!

Anonymous said...

@sachi @deepa @preeti@anon@ramesh
Hope you understood the problem with tinted glasses and curtains.

Ramesh said...

@Anon - I understand the anger, but completely disagree that this is any sensible way to prevent incidents like the awful Delhi one , or for that matter, that the tragedy could have been averted if that bus did not have tinted glasses and curtains.

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