Selective Amnesia

Wolf! Wolf!

A Tsunami warning false alarm yesterday in Madras put me in touch with a side of reality I generally want to overlook.

I have often decried the existence and maintenance of a Police system, and would rather do away with central authorities and governing bodies. But yesterday, I realised that, in some cases at least, a body of enforcers are very essential.

Following the false alarm, my boss and I decided to land up at the Marina, to see the Tsunami in the eye, and probably give it a piece of our collective minds.

By the time we could get to the road that leads to the beach, the place was cordoned off, with traffic constables diverting traffic away from the beach. Closer to the promenade, Police were helping the fisherfolks evacuate, and send mischief mongers packing.

And curious folks like me were sent back firmly, but politely. Thankfully, there was no major event, and all we could see was the usual waves. But the point is, if it were an actual tsunami, and the police weren’t around, I wouldn’t be alive to write this little piece, and neither would be the other 1000 odd people.

Screaming their throats sore at the local college kids who wanted to show off, chasing cyclists who wanted to get to the sand, diverting traffic away from the beach road, controlling the crowds that were pushing at the barricades, the Police men and a few women, were really, really effective. And pretty brave too. Putting their lives on the line, so we don’t.

This post, folks, is dedicated to the Police men I have often derided, and wrote off.