Non fiction story...Truth, Plural truth.....

Truth! Can it be one and with no plurality?

She consented for MLC examination is ok if she declined can one force her?

We all are told’ speak truth, let truth prevails. There is only one truth. Truth cannot be diluted, if attempted it turns false, loses its purity. Half truth is worse than a lie. We at once believe it but a time comes we need a deeper understanding.

 Sri Manoj Das discussed it in his literature and speeches which I may put here before proceeding further discussion.

 A bandit ran after a rich businessman with treasury. The man to save his life entered the hut of a pious hermit and hided there, prayed asylum thinking it the safest option. After some minutes the bandit entered, enquired about the man. The noble who never told a lie in his life informed correctly and the man was killed.

 Is it truth in proper spirit? A lie verses a life, a noble`s loyalty to truthfulness against a required common sense as the hour’s demand.

Here is a real situation, my own recent experience.

A girl of twelve years as recorded in school, whose actual age may be thirteen or fourteen and a boy may be eighteen year old were produced in our Community Health Center for medico legal examination in connection to kidnapping, rape, trespassing Protection Of Child Sexual Offence act 2012 (post Nirvaya act). They were from the most advanced amongst tribes of Odisha. The girl was to be examined by me the gynaecologist and the boy by my senior colleague a man of the same tribe. Here to mention they were tribal has a reason as there was some language problem between me and them that was not with the other doctor. The girl reads in class six, understood my questions, and answered perfectly. Her mother also communicated well. My problem was the communication in between the two of them that I could not follow.

The story given by police was that the boy kidnapped the girl, kept her in a relation`s house at distant place and was having sexual relation with her. Consensual or non consensual does not matter as she was only twelve years old hence it legally was a case of kidnapping, unlawful captivation and rape. The police rescued her from the place.

When I asked the mother she also opined similarly. The girl`s statement was just the opposite. She told that her father never allowed to move anywhere to see the better world. She moved with this boy well known to her family and visited a mela. Thereafter they stayed in his relation`s house for three days. She told the boy never did anything to her. She told it meaningfully. She behaved as an intelligent girl. Here I was not doing a writer`s job, it was a mandatory formality to write what the victim stated to the doctor. As she appeared tobe and police stated her as a minor the mother`s statement was important. Age estimation by me as a medical man would start only after the consent of the victim and her mother.

I was too confused. The minor girl the mini woman said she was fine. Can anybody force her to be examined? The guardian who was the real person to give consent and knew her child`s well being wanted justice. The mother even told me to consult my colleague to know the boy`s statement. Although it was not mandatory I could not resist the idea.

 My colleague told the boy stated he loved the girl for last four months and had taken her with her will. He was having consensual conjugal relation for last three days. He told what the truth was. The lady constable entered the scene and wanted to tell that her clothes had evidence. Only a day before the girl without any pressure told to the police that she of course with her own will was having relation with the boy in love. Our staff nurse as per rule was present and I requested the police as per rule to go out.

To give adequate justice to the situation I once again allowed the mother and daughter to discuss among them (Not understood by me) and tell me the right thing. They had some hot arguments that did not change the statement of anyone. So I had to decide.

When a minor suffers from an abscess she also never likes anyone to drain it to avoid the instant pain but the guardian gives the consent and for her betterment it is done with some persuasion and force. Was it a similar situation? Can any doctor that to a male force an adolescent girl to do the examinations very private in nature? It was ethically and practically not possible. Common sense speaks it should be considered as outraging the modesty of a little woman. Once again I counseled the girl that she should think twice and sign the consent paper so also her mother. She did not change her stand.

Mother was very upset.

There was no question to discuss with the girl`s father as he was reported drunk.

I also had little option left over. To avoid future turn around I told in raw language that the girl you  should write down what you tell and deny to be examined in writing. The girl was intelligent she wrote it in proper language with respectful addressing to the boy (as one addresses a husband) and signed it. The mother also witnessed the girl`s statement. Did I do the right thing to the best of my judgment? Did truth prevail?

Basing on a boy`s statement I had no chance to examine her. Who can say the boy did not lie to give bad name to the girl, to pressurize the parents to give her hand. Their custom I did not understand fully.

My question is was I truthful? What would happen to the boy who was examined and who states to do a crime? This crime cannot be punished as age estimation was a vital link here. A consensual relation is not a crime if the girl is major which in this case was not certain.

 I state it as a crime as per existing law and as a social safeguard measure.

Why did the girl turn hostile against herself? Did she fear medical examination? Had it been different if I was a lady? Did the girl feel safer with the boy than in her house with drunken parents? Did she want to save an innocent boy?

Innocent criminal!!!

 Ignorance is never a plea but here that was the main culprit. The adolescent behavior here was added to the fact that they did not know what law states about their legal age. Even if they know that this age is allowed or not, how can they count their age? It is true majority of those people look vacant when their age is asked. So who made them ignorant is the real criminal.

Who then?

I still have doubt. Was there any chance to examine her? Suppose it was done, suppose the boy was jailed, was it justice?

To that on a social and legal angle it was, but on personal angle the system did not allow some people to behave lawfully as it did not educate them. Still it is an open and valid question.

The debates done in television channels post Nirvaya were as usually inferior and only targeted people of higher or middle class. Not only in this issue but in all such issues the neglected group is always neglected. They are people of a different India, we talk only to prove we are logical speakers and that is all.

You see any serial or any soap or any debate in all the channels including the government programs the vast India is totally forgotten.

Truth may have several facets.

Three officers working in defense intelligence were captured by enemies and were tortured to the extreme degree. On a particular day they made it the final day and allowed them to speak the truth. All about their intelligence knowledge or else they would be fired. One of them with extreme torture succumbed but did not spill the bin. The second one now opened up and told the whole truth. The third one was a cunning fellow; he had the ability to make cream on the surface of water. He told opposite to the second one in convincing manner and wanted to give all supporting documents. They got biased; thought the second one was cheating them. He was fired. Later on the cunning man could manage an escape.

Who was truthful?

I put this question in a family circuit they had beautiful analysis.

Some felt the first one did the truthful act and was patriotically so. Rare was a vote for the second. Most told the third one did the right thing as per his job`s demand and also for him only the traitor second was punished who otherwise was harmful if alive. Because they were in intelligence they are expected to use their wit and cunningness.

Some pointed out it to be luck as who knew if the third one was asked first what his response was.

He was countered as a man of wit is always the winner, in such a situation he should have adopted a different method, he was fit for the job.

This is the abstract, the real discussion was long, I stopped my car at Panikoili on national high way to answer the situation and all discussion was over nothing left for analysis.

My point was they joined the job with the oath to do whatever is good for the nation and their very job to steal information of other country was untruthful but required for mother land. To be loyal and committed to your oath is the most truthful job and the one who did it was the most truthful.

But yes that can never be a final answer.

Suppose we analyze it neutrally, say one party was Iraq and other party as Iran our response would be different than if we take one as India and the other as Pakistan. Again in that context if we think the three were Pakistanis and Indians captured them our response would be different than if we take the opposite. Emotions can change our perception. This I state with love to Pakistan as I am in the rare group who feel a day will come when India, Pakistan, Bangladesh may join together on popular demand.
  

 So truth looks with many faces and to know the real truth our present knowledge is inadequate. If I travel a greater depth I shall once again discuss the situation, till the bye bye.