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| India-Pakistan |
| Salman Khan's hit-and-run case: Was the car drunk? |
| 2015-12-13 |
| [DAWN] Prem acquittal dhan se payo, Salman Khan's iconic screen name was trending on Twitter minutes after the High Court allowed him to walk free as the prosecution failed to establish its case against him. The actor had been accused of killing a man sleeping on a footpath and injuring four others with his SUV in 2002. One of the men lost his foot, but Salman was hardly 'Being Human' when he decided not to stop and help. Salman had reportedly been drinking that night but it seems the prosecution failed to convince the judge that Salman's cup was all full and not with water. In India, where not a lot surprises us, the Twitterati wanted an important answer: If neither Salman nor his driver is guilty then was "the car drunk"? In India, perhaps just like in Pakistain, governments can change but court cases still have a life of their own. Witnesses die, Witnesses become 'unreliable', documents go missing and as happened earlier in Salman's case, a faithful (or bought out?) driver takes the blame. And now, it seems even the driver wasn't in the driving seat. A bewildered public is wondering 'if India had a driverless car much before Google's plans to invent one'? It is not unusual for even the ordinary man to underestimate the influence of alcohol, especially in the recklessness of youth. I don't doubt that some of the loudest voices against Salman right now are those who drive back home equally inebriated every Saturday night. But if you know you have killed, then you must also stand up and take the blame. We are being naïve if we hope that at least the influential among us will admit their mistake and repent. But then, who doesn't pull out all contacts when in trouble? Yet, some are more equal than others. |
| Posted by:Fred |