Something Non-violent...

Pic Source: Merinews.com

I did not know much about the happenings in FTII. I wasn’t actually interested in it but today after a conversation on the topic, I Googled everything about it and it feels like Why?! Just Why?.

But that’s not all about it. It’s not just a mere clash of policies or ideologies. This 70 day protest, which began with the wrongful appointment of Mr. Gajendra Chauhan as FTII President, hints at something far more repugnant and repressive to come.

As I see it, this is a failure of the non-violent methods of protests propounded by the father of our nation and this might just be the beginning for the end of days for non-violence. The basic idea of non-violence, as everybody knows according to the definitions is to ‘affect the opponents’ heart’ and making a desirable change without opting for arms. But that’s just the superficial part of it. In reality, it was the popularity of a protest that led to its victory. No peaceful protest could’ve been successful without  effective use of media to pressurise those in power.

In any case, to feel the building pressure, a person must have some sense of moral or ethical consciousness, But today, in case of our right wing organisations, whose stake in Governmental decisions is substantial, you cannot expect any such thing as ethical consciousness. Moreover, these people have mastered the art of manipulating media. In short, the two basic things required for a successful non-violent protest is already in their favour.

For example, in the FTII issue, why would they let the protests continue without any kind of reaction unless they want the TRPs to go down on the topic and let media and people forget about it. If not anything else, the success of the Modi Government is that they are almost in complete control of media in the country which was not the case with UPA. In fact, UPA’s downfall started from the extensive media campaign of Anna Hazare.

Information Technology, with the abundance of information, has made the importance of any news slight and restricted to a very short timeframe. If any action, at all, has to be taken, its relevance too is constricted to that timeframe. So, not giving attention to an even and letting it pass is the best way to counter any non-violence protest. And this is precisely what is happening in FTII. This is not going to be the first time that such a protest would get ignored and let banished into oblivion.

I couldn’t help but think – what other options do we have other than nonviolence? Though I hope that we won’t have to choose those options, I believe we will one day be forced to. Obviously it would lead to further turmoil and so on and on. The only doubt I have is what Orwell once put into words – 

‘Is it possible that human beings can continue with this lunacy very much longer? You know the answer, of course.’

___________________

Rethinking Independence!

Free from the bombardment of patriotic songs at railway stations, patriotic movies on TV and patriotic speeches on roadsides, on this 'Independent' evening, I took a stroll through the neighbourhood. Ans as I walked, I realised that the development and progress of the nation, as judged from my surroundings, is commendable.

Pic Credits: Wikipedia.

From the days I used to walk on these streets with a flag in my hand and pride in my heart to this day when I doubt the abstractions of nation and any kind of affinity towards it,these familiar streets have changed. The then old and small buildings are now humongous towers. Instead of a Maruti here or there, Hyundais and Skodas are parked everywhere. People are now using bigger phones, children are talking about Candy Crush and such. But, apart from all these, from the insides, have these people really changed?

To me, it seems, we are stuck. Change in any form, except for material, is absolutely lacking in the current order of things. Of course, there has been periodic changes or rather wavering in the political affiliations of different populace but in the true sense, it was never a progressive change. The ideological and intellectual development seems to be stunted as we are learning, preaching and practicing much about the same things in perhaps slightly different manners. An individual was afraid and is still afraid of an individual from another community. The threat of communal civil wars still looms above us.

I don't know if there can be any solution to this. And I don't expect much of spearheading efforts in that direction from our already directionless political leaders. I don't even know if the answer is political or something else altogether. Perhaps arts or philosophy or science might bring about a change but I don't think religion should play a role anymore. But these are all secondary, as a democracy, of which in the current state I am not a fan of, the change should begin from the people. And by definition, the people, the common man is not supposed to even think about all these things!

So, I think its time we redefine everything. Let's begin with redefining Independence itself. Why should it be treated only as Independence from foreign rulers? Perhaps it should be treated as something more. In pure Indian terms it could mean 'moksha' or 'nirvana' or liberation from our previous self. Why are we so obsessed with constancy in ideas when everything else around us is changing so rapidly? Why can't we think and practice newer ideas?  And by newer ideas, I don't mean Westernisation. I don't mind being Indianised or Westernised. All I crave now is change- a change from the inside.

So, I wish, all of you a belated Independence Day, but let the morrow that rises be independent of the day that set and let new seeds of change be sown and let not the fear of the unexpected stop us from marching. Let's just unstuck ourselves!

Unmade by the Yoga Day!

Oh what has a Yoga day done to me? It has oozed out from me the secularism and imbibed in me a pride unmatched – a pride for our culture, our traditions and our ancestral wisdoms.

Partly because of the fear that I’d be thrown out of my country without a proper Visa for not practising Yoga, I had to attend a celebration of the first Yoga Day ever. As stances after stances, hundreds of students left sighs of reliefs, the curriculum of Yoga ended in fun. The Bollywood celebs who tried inspiring us with their speeches, only served as eye-candies for the reporters’ cameras to ogle.

The inspiration that we received led us directly to the nearest outlet of McDonald’s where we had a bite of the ‘satvik’ Chicken. As it is said, a lot can happen over a piece of burger; a conversation erupted between me and a friend who was sensible enough. Did she point it out? I don’t know but in my mind I had concluded that Fascism excels all other politics due to these three reasons:

One:
Performing your duty is always easy as no thinking is required whatsoever. The wisdom you have is unassailable as the ancestors already have everything thought out for you.

Two:
In a fascist world even the present is perfect as it has always been so and the only progress is but maintaining it so.

Three:
And lastly fascism is always right, for the tempting ideologies of the Left is as corrupting as power.

So folks, for what are you waiting? Democratic secularism is an evil that we don’t need. Let’s all get fascist and make this world as better as it was.

Born and Brought Up In Fear!

Born and Brought Up In Fear!

Waning toleration and mounting hatred, religious identities and the discriminative relationship between them in India has always been instrumental in propagating redundant fears.

A recent article by a friend on his blog talked about an invisible tension, based on religious prejudices, being strongly felt even among the educated youth. What I inferred from the article was that the Indian psyche is far more intricately entangled in the Hindu-Muslim bigotry than the superficialities of politics and traditions. People without any convincing reason are afraid of each other, as if it’s in their blood. Of course, much of the frictions have been inherited from our ancestors, while most others are of our own creation in a period which doesn’t much belong to history yet.

Historical facts apart, there should be an underlying factor that influences the historical events and thereby this hatred, this fear. But often have I wondered, is it just a factor or a benefactor? The whole history of the world seems to be so manipulated by some people, some unseen puppeteers. Till the time of Hitler, during which it peaked and then declined, there was hatred and fear of the Jews. But as it appears, after the Second World War the same fear and hatred is only being transferred on to the Muslims.

There seems to be a continuous propaganda, globally, which paints the religion of Islam villainous and the role of the celebrated free media of the West in this conspiracy is intriguing. In India, especially after BJP’s rise to glory there has been a more proactive spread of such attitudes, not only by media but also by people through different forums.

Who could be the benefiters of this? In India, it can be guessed, quite easily, but what about the world? Is global secularism already as hollow as most other Western values?  

Such spread of mutual dread will surely explode in some way or the other sooner or later. I only wish that India wouldn’t be the battleground and Hindus the ones to trigger it.

Unless there is a global solution to this, India can only try to prevent furthering the rift which in today’s case seems highly improbable. I hope that the solution wouldn’t have to come through another Holocaust. The sad part is that until then Indians will always be born and brought up in this fear.     

   

Minority Report!

Democracy is a game where majority always wins. It is when the majority always remains the majority that this game becomes a death trap for the minorities. In India, majority and minority are based on religion and birth and as such they remain permanently in their respective circles which means a person born to a minority section would always lose. To counter this has been the reservations and various other measures that have been instituted in the Constitution.

While all this may remain good on paper, the reality outside is changing. For the first time after Independence a party that has been explicitly pro-majority has come to power. Moreover Union Ministers like Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti is openly addressing minority communities as ‘Haraamzadon’ or ‘illegitimate offspring’, religious processions are being blocked, Churches are being burnt, youths are being murdered in the name of religion and all that our respected Prime Minister could do was deliver a speech on condemning communal violence on the occasion of Independence Day.

The identity of India lies in its harmony among diversity. It is the essence that has kept the spirit of the nation going. But when a Government which shares ideologies with extremist Hindutva groups, and when its Ministers are openly condescending upon minorities, this identity of India is going get tainted. Will Modi let that happen or not? Only time will tell. 

It's Getting Serious in Bengal...

          With Congress in its most wretched condition and BJP trying to make a grand entrance into Bengal, Mamata has to take the lead against the NDA before it is too late.

The Saradha Scam and TMC’s alleged relation with Bangladeshi migrants and ‘terrorists’ have put a hole in the clean image of the TMC while BJP’s image is clearly building up under the charm and charisma of Modi and the political crookedness of Amit Shah. If this is allowed to continue, TMC has no existence and hence must fight or perish.

While Mamata is doing what she has always done, that is to blame the Central government for the lack of support they provide, BJP is pestering her with a number of scams, lack of development and minority appeasement. Mamata has, at most times, able to get away with her trick but this time it seems to be not working in her favour.

An entry of BJP into West Bengal would be a tragedy for all other parties not only because such an entry would have a huge impact on both National and regional politics but also because, apart from the Left, there is no national level party to compete them there. It is like giving BJP their own personal voting machine which could in every way decide the outcome of national politics.

It is high time for Mamata as well as Congress and Left to charge against BJP, for it is the only way to assure their survival.    

Oh the hypocrisy!

BJP- a party that has taken its birth from an almost extremist Hindu nationalist organisation like RSS and that has been professing more or less Fascist concepts of Rama Janmabhoomi and Hindutva- is now trying to field Muslims in the next polls. What could be a better example of double-standards in politics?

BJP leader Mangal Pandey has ennobled the decision to field Muslim candidates by stating that Bihar's development would not be complete if the Muslims remained untouched. So, does that mean BJP has suddenly become a saintly ‘secular’ party? No, it means they have properly analysed the consequences of not fielding Muslim candidates in at least those constituencies that have high Muslim population (ranging from 18% to 48% in some districts).  

 An ideology, a principle should be the backbone of any political party. If a party abandons its ideologies to get into power, then the whole process of democratic selection of a political party is rendered meaningless. BJP has been doing only this for the past few years. It has renamed and implemented most of the UPA policies which they had themselves criticised while in Opposition. Some examples of this being the implementation of Land Swapping programme with Bangladesh, the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan being renamed and implemented as Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan etc.

This fielding of Muslim candidates and painting a secular image for themselves, is BJP’s next iteration of their mockery of Indian public.