The expression “blackened lips and reddened eyes” referring to addicted young persons -- men and women -- in the last edition of ‘Footloose in Bhopal’ became a subject of discussion in many groups through-out the week. Many responded to the subject positively, and joined the loosefooter to express a serious concern about the decline of the standard of young conduct (in whatever percentage). This evidence of the social concern of large numbers of people about young people falling prey to addiction certainly created a sense of assurance that things can still be rectified. The loosefooter admits that he received a phone call from a rather angry girl who asked in indignation, “Why are you worried about us?” The loosefooter responded calmly, in effect, that he would never agree to turn a blind eye to young people going wayward. But if this one call dared the loosefooter, there were countless calls from others -- parents and teachers included -- agreeing that the city of Bhopal was showing increasing and expanding evidence of how young people were falling prey to wrong habits.

 

Through-out the week, the loosefooter’s eyes kept accidentally noticing “blackened lips and reddened eyes”, making him feel sadder than ever -- making him think hard about what could be done to counter this cultural degeneration. The loosefooter did realise that the city of Bhopal now has umpteen numbers of modern restaurants and cafes where smoking and drinking are considered respectable, even welcome. An acquaintance who runs one such joint shared with the loosefooter that increasing numbers of young people falling prey to wrong habits spend pretty good amounts of money on an every-day basis to satiate their wrong desires (whose extent can transcend all normal definitions of ‘wrong’). If there is even an iota of truth in that observation, the matter is bloody serious.

 

“But why are you really worried about such a trend only in Bhopal? You will find such wayward youth even in smaller cities and towns as well. There is a whole racket of organised crime to fan wrong habits especially among young people whose sense of self worth and proportion is always stands on a loose ground,” a Police officer friend said most knowingly (of course urging the loosefooter not to reveal his name). Obviously, this vice has become all-pervading. Where do we go from here? Is anybody really, really, really concerned about this most dangerous, and therefore unwelcome, trend that is gobbling up our young people’s innocence and their sense of self worth and their sense of right and wrong ? At this question -- to no one in particular but an issue for all to ponder over -- the loosefooter would love to exit the piece on “blackened lips and reddened eyes” ! n