Nightlife in Ahmedabad
Some Glimpses
Madhu Purnima Kishwar
मधु किश्वर के मोदी के बारे मैं बदले विचारों का दर्पण जिसमें उन्होंने अहमदाबाद की कानून व्यवस्था का वर्णन किया है जो सोचने लायक है .
Even though I have not yet had the time to study the law and order situation in Gujarat, when I was visiting Ahmedabad, one of my twitter followers from the city wrote to me saying “While you are there, go visit a police station. You would be shocked (pleasantly)”. There was visible pride in his urging me to go and notice the change in the system of policing in Gujarat. More than in police stations the change is visible in people’s perception of the law and order situation. Govind, the driver of the private taxi that took me from Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar told me:
“The best part of this government is that it has very firm control over law and order. Even at night, there are no highway dacoities or loot maar as are happening in other states. Therefore, it is good for our business. But all this is not just due to police crackdowns. This government has created work and job opportunities for all. For example, there is a poor adivasi settlement around Ambaji Mandir. Some of these men used to indulge in crimes and loot. That community has been given a contract for garbage recycling. So they are very happy about having a regular source of income and are busy making money from that. The government has a plan to make Gujarat a Zero Garbage state with its slogan “Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse. So it is win-win for all.”
At his insistence I did go and watch garbage collection at night. Fully automated garbage trucks were active throughout the night unlike in cities like Delhi where huge piles lie rotting for days on end.
I asked a young woman IT professional in Ahmedabad (whose name I forgot to note down in my notes): There have been a number of media reports about “increasing” crimes against women in Gujarat. What is your perception as a young woman come from outside this city to work in Ahmedabad? She replied:
“You don’t judge law and order from police department statistics because there is systematic under reporting of crime in India. States which register lower crime rate are not necessarily the safest places for citizens. The most important indicator is citizens’ perception of safety. If you take that as the benchmark, you will see for yourself that Gujarat is perceived to be a much safer place for women. You will also find that Muslims also feel much more secure than they did before. Criminals don’t act with the kind of impunity that they do in many other states.”
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