No more dirty talk after midnight!

I came across an article today that jolted my memory back to the horrific Operation Majnu in Meerut. Although not as proposterous, this one too was a form of moral policing, it was more about evoking the freedom of the youth to...well..speak.

Bangladeshi authorities have ordered the country's mobile phone companies to stop providing free talk time after midnight because it is "spoiling" the younger generation.

Parents have complained that their children are indulging in immoral activities, are not studying and in some cases, not sleeping for even one hour at night.

This news item tells me three things:

1. Mobile Service Providers in Bangladesh are more rocking than those in India - here we only get discounted rates at night, no free time

2. The youth of Bangladesh have much to talk about (not sleep for even an hour!?)

3. The Moral police are taking away our right to live as we want.

Earlier, the phrase 'moral police' conjured up images of old grannies pointing a disapproving finger at you. Post Operation Majnu, the grannie has turned into an evil middle-aged policewoman humiliating and beating up innocent youngsters.

Today they are stopping young people in Bangladesh from talking free of charge at night, tomorrow they might attack Airtel's 'Night Talk' plan that let's you "party, catch up with friends and generally have a good time, away from the day's grind" (as Airtel puts it) at discounted rates. Instead of contacting your local Airtel Customer Care for pricing and other details, you might end up contacting your local Moral Police Station for permission to speak at night.

We gotta draw the line somewhere.