The Moral Brigade has been in rampant form this year. From dress codes in colleges, to angst about virginity (aside: why is there such an issue over such a minor tissue I can never ever fathom ?) From the restriction of employment opportunities of a certain class – bar dancers – to the restriction of business practice – censorship of television. From peeking into privacy – operation Manju in Meerut – to calling for women to stay at home and have more kids (Ashok Singhal and his Hindu women should have 17 kids).

From restrictions on freedom of speech to restrictions on freedom on action – the moral brigade has marched on. And each time around , in the name of ‘social good’, the moral brigade has slowly begun chipping away at hard won freedoms. Somehow this rise in this sort of restrictive morality is accompanied by a parallel rise in the subjugation of women. Just look at the Islamic states to see the impact of regimented and ritualistic morality on the role and status of women in society. 2006 will see the moral brigade take off where they left off in 2005. Attacking those things that are easy to attack – music videos, bar dancers, pre marital sex- all in the name of protecting culture and the status of women in society. All this is done under the full glare of the media – with issues presented in black and white – with no shades of grey. With (the same) instapundits trotted out to give pithy sound bites on anything from bar dancers to MMS clips. And sounding terribly reasonable and rational about the whole issue. At the same time we have the pro-freedom band that seemingly is represented by people who are one step away from frothing at the mouth. It promises to be a one sided fight, with the moral brigade making more inroads in curtailing more of our freedoms. Oh for some rational spokespeople!