Do celebrities think they are above the law?

Recently, I had raised a doubt if any of our honourable members knows or realised why they are called ‘honourable’? Now, I have another question: Can we call film actors celebrities?

While honourable members are supposed to discuss and debate, but are turning Parliament and legislatures into platforms to settle political scores without bothering about the parliamentary norms and practices, the so-called celebrities who are expected to be role models for society have been washing their dirty linen in public. When it attracts media attention, they get journalists beaten by their bouncers, or they themselves indulge in physical attack as we have seen three days back when a media repre-sentative on duty was attacked by veteran actor M Mohan Babu, resulting in three fractures to the jawbone of the reporter.

Interestingly, this took place minutes after the actor released an audio in which he gave moral lessons to his son that he should not have attacked a servant of the house. “If you did not like what he said there is a way to explain to him. Attacking a poor man like that is not correct,” is what he had said. But minutes later, everyone saw how he snatched the mic and gave a deadly blow. This reminds me of an adage in Hindi: “Haati Ke Dant Khane Ke Alag Dikhan Ke Alag.” (Elephant has different teeth to eat and display).

Well, the big question is whether celebrities and lawmakers think that they are above the law? If anyone hits them or even pushes them, he is arrested and sent to remand. We have seen how a boy was arrested in Vijayawada during the election campaign of former CM Y S Jaganmohan Reddy when a pebble hit him on his forehead. Though it was later found that he was not the person who threw the pebble or stone at Jagan, charges of attempt to murder were slapped on him. But, in this case, the police present at the scene of the incident did not intervene. For the first two days, no case was booked. It was only after protests that an FIR was registered, and it took another day before the police added the attempt to murder charge. Why is it so? Is the life of a com-mon man so cheap? Is this equality before law?

Initially, all that the reporter got was lip sympathy from politicians and an assurance that law would take its own course. Another trend that is generally seen is that politicians and celebrities re-port sick immediately after some incident takes place and get admitted to a hospital, and approach courts seeking relief from appearing before the police. No such facility is available for the common man. Probably, the glamour and glitter embolden them to do what they like.

Things do not end there. They also teach the media how to re-port. Media, they say, should take their version before reporting or else face legal action. But can anyone reach them? Are they available on phone? The answer is big ‘No.’ From whom should one verify? From the locked main gates or their bouncers. They feel that if any incident happens, they send their minions, offer some money and try to get the issue closed. How should one take this attitude? Is it ego or do they feel that they are superior to others something like demigods?

The veteran actor released an audio recording on Thursday wherein the media was blamed for trying to intrude into their in-ternal family matters and in a fit of rage, he attacked the media representative. There is more blame than expressing regret.

It’s high time the media too should flex its muscle whenever such an incident takes place and not only ensure that the authorities act on time but also boycott all future programmes of such lead-ers and celebrities for a minimum period of six months.