The Ostrich in us again at work !
We had and continue to have many shameful incidents in our society, sadly rape has also just become one of those. However, when the Nirbhaya issue came out, we as a society and as a culture did respond and there were forward movements in law, awareness etc. However, in the last three years or so, other than the so called "genuine concern of one and all" nothing much has improved. Then comes the documentary by a British lady - India's Daughters - in which she has managed to interview the convicts and their lawyers. Hell seems to have broken lose ......... The parents of Nirbhaya has come forward (very courageous) worked with this documentary maker and she got all permissions from the authorise concerned to make this film. But , sadly it sheds light on the dark underbelly of Indian society- the convicts blurbs out the truth ..... The mind set and the lawyers of the convict even "betters" the convicts with their views ..... All this has really blown on the face of us, Indians ; and we are looking for cover. Here is where the Ostrich mentality comes out. When faced with danger , sink the head in sand .... So I don't have to face the reality. Exactly the strategy being worked out by our police, judiciary and even parliament. Now the issue is who and why the convict was interviewed ( in case there is a lapse , pl investigate) rather than what has the convict said about us as society. That is hard to face and answer..... Shoot the messenger.... We , Indians have lived enough in this make believe world of ours. Let this documentary come out, let it shame us , make us think and then there could be some corrections. No problems, especially of magnitude like this , can be solved with out getting into the root. If we find a way to ban this documentary, that will be even a bigger shame on our culture and a bigger injustice to Nirbhaya. Then we prove to the world as a society we Re not mature or willing to face the reality on ground. How many more Nirbhayas before we can fix us? Lets get out of this Ostrich mind set.... Have the courage to face reality. Let it shake and shame us out of our self made castle of falsehood and denial. Thank the British lady for holding the mirror to us. This time our freedom may come thro the British lady !
First of all I agree with all what you held in this blog. However, having said this I am still not at comfort. I am sure many Indians also are not in comfort even after having agreed to all intentions and contentions. Question is why?
ReplyDeleteIt is very natural to get on the issue of Nirbhaya Incidence and comment on Victim's plight, Accused's mind, Defense lawyer's comments, Indian Society's issue etc. etc. We Indians have already engaged ourselves in it. Having said so, still we shall not be in comfort. It is evident that a thorn in our throat is refusing to let go of it.
Why?
Question is that although India has the largest population, can it be considered as the sole owner of all underbellies of the world? Not at all.
May be by putting a ban on the telecast of the documentary Govt of India is behaving like an ostrich. But in this case or in such cases who is not?
President Obama comes to India and Lectures Indians on creating religious harmony. After that not once but twice, in his own country some equally sick people writes on temple wall "Get Out" or murders somebody at a departmental store by forcible entry, breaking their own laws etc.
A year or two down the lane a pregnant woman dies in Ireland of complications related to pregnancy. Doctors would not save a precious life citing an age old law (better said as "tradition") by resorting to a medical abortion.
Further down the memory lane deaths related to community hatred well reported in Australia.
Which underbelly we should talk about and make documentary?
Here is what is uncomfortable to Indians.
Did any journalist including the one who made the documentary "India's daughters" take any initiative to showcase mindset of the so called doctors who were totally unmindful of their mission to save a life? or Did they take initiative to uncover the mind of the equally sick people in US who wrote "get out" on a temple wall and burnt the temple? Did anybody interview their defense lawyers. Nope! Not possible at all!
It is in this world of some people who think they are the sole messiah and they have "know it all" syndrome, makes me and other Indians uncomfortable. There the Govt of India who are trying to make India and being an Indian a matter of pride, is justified. We can not blame Govt of India as being Ostrich. The whole world is, in fact!