Rage reloaded!!...
Off late, unfortunately, there have been several cases of violence in my country.
Like we haven’t had enough Hindu-Muslim riots, Churches were also attacked various parts of Orissa and Karnataka, a few months back, by Bajarang Dal (a Hindu extremist group).
Bajrang Dal claimed that Hindus are being illegally converted to Christianity in the area. Sources said Hindu groups have long accused Christian priests of bribing poor tribes and low-caste Hindus to change their faith. To which, Christians said lower-caste Hindus convert willingly to escape the Hindu caste system (Source: BBC)
As if we don’t face enough disgrace in Delhi, U.P., Bihar and Haryana, women were molested in places in Mumbai and Goa; the cities considered to be the safest for women, in India.
A New Year 2007 Eve event at Mumbai's most famous landmark, the Gateway of India, made news after it went horribly sour. Drunk revelers stripped and molested a woman in public view, as her friend watched helplessly. (Source: IBN Live)
In Goa, a British tourist; 15year-old Scarlett Keeling's half-naked dead body was found in end of February’08, on Anjuna beach just metres away from the bar where she was last seen drinking with local men. It was later found that she had been drugged, raped and then murdered. (Source: Guardian)
We were all forced to remember Babri and Godhra again, when the recently Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (another Hindu extremist group) in Maharashtra beat up every North-Indian they could.
On February 10, 2008, MNS workers attacked vendors and shopkeepers from North India in various parts of Maharashtra, and destroyed government property to vent their anger against the reported move to arrest Raj Thackeray.[6] Nashik police detained 26 MNS workers for the violence. (Source: Wikipedia)
And when the Ram Sena (yet another Hindu extremist group) assaulted every woman they could in Mangalore pubs.
Sri Ram Sena was founded by Pramod Muthalik, a former RSS member and Bajrang Dal chief. “It’s a small incident and we were only working against obscenity in public. You are not talking about the issue, which is obscenity and inappropriate behaviour,” Muthalik said while speaking on the Mangalore pub attack. (Source: IBN Live)
I have a question; can someone do a simple background check of all these self-righteous, moralists and frustrated-due-to-some-random-personal-trouble-people. I wonder if even a single one can be found, who hasn’t ever lied, stolen, done drugs, smoked, had alcohol, had illicit affairs, broken traffic-rules, evaded tax, if they haven’t committed a bigger crime.
A lot has happened, and all of that had been pent up.
I hadn’t been writing since quite some time. Since, nothing had been happening in my life. Or was it a simple writers’ bloc. I don’t know and don’t think it matters. But I simply had not been able to pen down anything for months now. Hopefully this should break the trend and get me back to my vent-buddy; my dear dear page.
What instigated today’s quick writing piece, was Mr. Muthalik’s statement which I happened to come across on the net. Shame shame!! So, these people don’t believe in the law and order of our Nation either; exactly like criminals, isn’t it?
I love my country and have always been the one to be called a nationalist, patriot, etc. But when I come across such incidents, I wonder what went wrong?
I love my fellow countrymen. But after such sites, I can't even stand such people.
I have always wanted to live and die in my dear dear hometown; Delhi, when all of my friends talk of moving to better/ developed/ safer lands. But as I see the news on TV every night, I don't feel very certain about my plans anymore.
I am a born Hindu and actually, used to be a proud Hindu; due to the heritage, history, culture and all that. But now I feel ashamed of calling myself one. And chose to say that I am a Human/ Indian/ Peace Lover, now.
How much we keep feeling ashamed about. How long we go on shaking our heads at irrational acts of extremism. For how long would we all keep hiding under the safety nets of our own houses/ families/ social clouts?
The day is not very far away, when any of these could happen to you or to someone close to you… Actually if you count 26/11 in, this has happened to us, and we’re still not doing anything.
The least we can do, to create awareness and wake people up, is to talk.
Ponder on…S m i l e


