Which literally means “Water from the holy river Ganges”…

I was watching a Bollywood movie by this title a couple of days back – and it made me ponder. In India, you often see how politicians, the police and gangsters team up to suppress the common man. The movie was about such a nexus – where some of the policemen finally have an attack of conscience – and since they cannot directly punish the stooges of the gangster bosses from whom they used to take bribes – they adopt a much novel way of doing things.

Once you are successfully able to create terror – even once – you are on your way. These policemen would catch these dacoits, rapists, murderers, kidnappers etc., put them in a lock-up, and gorge their eyes out, and pour acid into the eyes – very effectively blinding them. This would be done in full view of other prisoners – who then would be so awfully terrorized – they would not say anything to anyone, and desist from crime. In the movie, the concept catches on from village to village, and finally the public starts the ritual of “GangaJal” amongst themselves. In a bizzare event shown, the wife of one chap, who was given “GangaJal” refuses to divulge it to the police because she also knew her husband had done wrong. A very practical implementation of the law of “Omerta”….

The method adopted was very effective – though ultimately, this would also leave to a totally intolerant society – where any voice of free press or opinions would be crushed ruthlessley.

The movie is eye-opening, and maybe these politicians who are busy creating vote banks should realise that one day it might become a reality, and they might get their own “GangaJal”.