Saturday, December 22, 2012

"I Am Ashamed To Be An Indian Today"

It is the first emotional response, but this is what it needs to be. What kind of madness has been put on display outside the Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi? The Delhi police is acting like hired goons of the party in power. Tear gas shells and water canons are being unleashed on thousands of young protesters. And what is it that they are demanding? Not money, not jobs, not the sun and moon, but something as basic as protection.

This issue has flared beyond just a sexual assault case. Its an eye opener for the kind of polity we live in. Did someone just call our state a 'mecca' of democracy? I am sorry, our democracy, if anything, is hitting the nadir. Those brutal rapists used rods, and our honorable police force uses lathis - is there any visible difference to boast of?  And yes, the government issues statements asking protesters to maintain peace - those very protesters whose are hurt, both physically and mentally, at the kind of insanity and idiocy the state is treating them with.

Why would Pranab babu not come out? Is he afraid of being lynched or raped? It was never about a rape in the first place. It was about the way we allow the authority figures to trample on the perceived secondary groups in the society. The male dominates and feeds off the female, whom he perceives is nothing but a secondary accessory to him, who is here to satiate his needs. The state walks all over its subjects, thinks of the public as mere roadways to power, whose importance is understood only every five years. For rest of the time, they may rot, cry, suffer - unless their plight can become a political agenda, nothing about them matters.

Mrs. Dixit cried two nights ago on tv. But how could she cry alone? So now, she and her friends in the elite circles of Delhi ensure that the whole city cries with them. Tear gas shells. How does this idea even enter the heads of the police force? Are anyone of the political bandhs treated this way? Will tomorrow parliamentarians who protest and upset the function of the prime organ of democracy be treated the same way? Does the police even know why it exists? To protect PEOPLE. Yes. People. Here, however, a new tamasha, a new definition of the police is being invented. This is a force which protects just the state, the authority figures, the political class against the most vicious threat that they could ever face in life - public out rage. Our police is not longer a civil force. It is a state force. And these are the ones from whom we expect promises of safety. We sure must be a mad lot.

There were no politicians, even from the opposition, who took an immediate stand on the theatre of lunacy being played out on the Rajpath. Now, that is understandable, isn't it? The sons and daughters of India need to be protected, but that can happen only after press statements are cut to perfection, political agendas perfected, game plans initiated and party high command consulted. I heard such authoritarian tactics were employed in the North east and Kashmir region of our country. As a resident of the National Capital Territory of India, who thought her city is capable of being called the best in the world, my heart goes out to all those people who dare to stand up for what is right. Solidarity is the least minimum we can show, and that we will. Tweets are coming in from people associated with the protest, urging people to get out and join them and not let the movement fizzle out. I reiterate, it is not about a single girl falling prey to sexual inclinations of few perverted animals. It is about an entire generation falling prey to delusions of power.

The rape infants. They rape our elders. Now they rape democracy.

Hah. They are protecting themselves against the people who put them there. Theek hai. Galti toh hamaari hi hai.

14 comments:

  1. Nhi, galti hamari nhi hai. Now if we are suppressed, it would be our fault.!
    Its time to take a stand. Can you believe it? Despite all these protests, there came up yet another case near Patna (Bihar). A Dalit came became a victim of devil's devour.! God must come down in any form..!!

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    1. Yes dear. And a 3 year old raped in the kindergarten. I went over to a few places to check if people are being sensitized - well, that is not happening as of now. I will be taking this up next month when schools and colleges reopen. There is a need for general masses - youngsters - to be aware of safety norms and constitutional remedies. This is the least minimum I would like to do, till the time I get into services and test the murky waters myself.

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  2. Its very easy to write a blog, give a inspiring speech, defame the democracy .. bt the authority nd administration runs on certain rule nd regulation nt emotion.. i just asking u what step u took to curb such crime at ur personal level.. u write a blog, some tweets nd fb status nd thats final .. bt administration has to go ahead nd ensure many responsibility ..

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    1. Abdul, very well. You have your heart and mind in the right place, please be happy with yourself. I am a staunch believer in democracy, but today I am hurt. Deeply. But this democracy gives you the right to dissent, so please, go right ahead and show your dissent to me. To my blog. To my tweets. To all those protesters who have turned into an 'unruly mass'.

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    2. nothing surprising for me saumya - for congress democracy is a facade - to perpetuate oligarghy and maintain dynasty hold - wen faced with peopl's anger they react this way .did in 1975 25 june wen more then million assembled in delhi under JP - and indira clamped emergency - jailing more then 2 lakhs.now again wen faced with people anger crushing with all might.cant impose emergency post 1977 amendment - wuld have done even that

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    3. Unfortunately Subodh uncle, I have only read about that phase of Indian politics. You might have seen it and perhaps know then the politics of suppression better than me. As a youth member, I have no memory of such widescale public outrage - except perhaps the Hazare movement - but this government is increasingly making me lose faith in the concept of democracy. If we cannot register our dissent with the state, then what sort of a democracy is it anyway?

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  3. Achint Mathur, a fellow passionate blogger mailed the following comment -

    Abdul,

    1. Inspiring Speech, undoubtedly it is and you should be inspired by it if you have emotions and you don't run on rules and regulations.

    2. Step taking by us is termed as SPREADING AWARENESS as we're limited to the sources. Blog, twitter and FB are our source to aware people and make them hear what is there in our heart. What Steps you've taken if you've any power and any such thing?

    3. We're administering the administration from the decades and nothing has been done so talking about their responsibilities is weird.

    4. When you talk about democracy, well I am sure Saumya must be knowing hell lot about the same than you. And with the knowledge, we love the system and used to proud of it.

    We're here to unite and not to criticize. And yes, we're saying all this because so far by god's grace and allah's blessings nothing bad has happened to US and we don't want such incidence to happen again and with anybody. Rules, Regulations and all the big words have been squeezed and resting in their pockets and if you're not aware about the same then either you're blind or acting like one.

    Unite to fight.

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  4. sorry if my comment appears dissent to u or ur blog nd to someone else. but my point was where were u nd all those in many earlier similer or worsen time. why u suddenly start feeling shame of being indian in such media hyped rape case nd why nt earlier nd in many silent cases which comes in paper daily with a very small head line nd small space.. i m nt against ur concept of protesting bt the source fr where i read ur inspiring blog the same person tarique anwer (@tarique_anwer) nw saying "we r throwing sleepers at rashtrapati bha an nd abusing the first citizen of nation" nd in his very next tweet "I give up. Protest organised to save women nd people r using MC/BC fr CM nd Sonia Gandhi" ... nd true may be i nt knw the democracy as the hell both of u nd Achint Mathur knw about the same bt its never about knwing democracy, its about how u follow democracy. nd finally i hope nd pray that some awareness comes out of ur blog nd tweet ... bye

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    1. I was thankful for your response, and I still am. When we hear dissenting voices, we stop and think for once, revise our stand. Tarique and I might have contrary views, but that does not diminish our respect for each other. Agreeing to disagree.
      What I do, how I do, I do not think I will sell myself here. As I will not hurl aspersions on you and ask where does your opinion comes from. Its your way of thinking, be proud. This is my way of thinking, I am proud of it.

      Hoping to hear more from you.
      :)

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    2. Oh, and this title is inspired by the statements of one of the protesters there, who was braving that water cannon.

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  5. @ Saumya - A Post Written from your heart. It is sad to see the indifference among the political class. It is now upto the youth of this country to elect good people in the next elections so that they have a brighter future.

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    1. Yes sir. Sometimes, the lack of options in voting deters me from going out there, but vote we must. It is a right and a duty too.

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  6. The problem lies in the mentality of people. That is influenced by a whole lot of factors. We can't say men are at fault neither the fairer sex is at fault, the problem lies somewhere else. Police can't be blamed as a handful of them can't protect each and every one in crores of population here. Govt. already gives up very easily, then who to blame? a strong change is required, revolution! and not that in law order alone, but in the human nature imbibed deep inside. Once that is changed, other will follow the suit!

    http://saurabhchawla2345.blogspot.in/2012/12/is-this-really-that-was-meant-to-be.html

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    1. Thanks for sharing your sentiments Saurabh. I hope something good comes out of these efforts of the youth. I am so scared of this turning into a political playing field.Genuine concerns are at stake here.

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