Editorial
Eid Picking Menace
It has now assumed the proportion of a national problem. Nevertheless, extortion as a social evil is perhaps at its afflicting worst during festivals. The business community, more precisely the shopowners, feel the torturous edge of this otherwise pervasive malady during the two Eids. It is not any different this year.
Groups of youngmen, a substantial number of whom are students, are visiting shops and demanding merchandise with impunity. Their proud parade at market places and arcades is making a mockery of authorities' so-called 'highest security' alert. Extortionists, it is learnt, no longer keep their hunting ground limited to shops and markets. They have extended their dominion to households too. At a number of areas in the capital, groups of young people have been heard of demanding Eid bucksheesh for no service their prospective givers could think of and threatening them with dire consequences when refused. In some places - though this has been more of a problem with commercial or mercantile areas - police and civil officials have reportedly appeared in the role of extortionists. The question that springs up automatically then is, what is the point in making those high flown ridiculous announcements if government's 'own people' get down in the business of toll collection ?
Although it had been announced earlier that in order to curb the menace of extortion, video cameras would be placed at vantage points so that those coming for extortion or chandabazi are easily detected and promptly put in the line of fire. But no camera was to be seen.
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