Some ‘Terribly Deep Thinkers’ (mostly self appointed intellectuals like me, middle aged, middle class men, somewhere, almost anywhere in Delhi or India) were having a heated ‘discussion’ on 1984. The majority thought though unpleasant, it was necessary, ‘The Sikhs’ deserved it, and they were put in their place. These men belong to all political parties, some openly, some not so openly and find it strange that people like me do not fit into any of their preconceived political molds or ‘isms’. There were some who insisted that pogrom in Delhi and elsewhere in 1984 was not enough. what ‘solved’ the ‘PUNJAB PROBLEM’ was killing of all ‘terrorists’ (virtually every male between the ages of 15 and 65 throughout Punjab in later 1980’s- a genocide) and their heroes were SS RAY, ROBEIRO and of course ‘The Great ANTI-TERRORIST COP’ KPS Gill! As they realized that ‘A Bald-headed Sikh’ was in the room everyone abruptly shushed each other. (A courtesy extended to Sikhs when 1984 is spoken about, but rarely extended to the Muslims in similar circumstances if 2002 is discussed) While I thank everyone for respecting my sentiments (some knew that I was a few Kilometers away from being burnt alive on October 31st 1984), it hurts to know what people really feel 30 years after the genocide. Well in a democracy everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, and a right to interpret events as they please, but suggesting a pogrom or a massacre / genocide as a solution for every conflict in the country is a dangerous. We have tried it in Kashmir, the NORTH EAST, the ‘naxal affected’ areas of Madhya Bharat, and it has not worked, and I am not sure what worked in Punjab. LOOK at 1984, any which way you can, but it is an undeniable truth that People gave Rajiv Gandhi an unprecedented 400+ seats, and now 30 years later MODI got a clear majority(the only majority Govt. in 30 years). Well pogroms win elections. Ironically ‘Riots’ revisited Trilokpuri after 30 years last week to remind us in no uncertain terms that pogroms and riots are easy to engineer and always pay political dividends. In the heated political debates in coffee rooms these last few months, people have dropped their guard like never before. There is not even a pretense at trying to be politically correct anymore and people are not ashamed of baring their souls. The sad truth is that once you see their bare souls, you realize that it is not always very pretty. Now it is not about having opinions, but about basic human rights and dignity of your fellow citizens that most people have scant respect for. It is all about petty prejudices, some of which have not changed since vedic times, and some imported from the slavery days in Europe and the US. In the never-ending carnival which is ongoing for the last 6 months, people are in a self congratulatory mode and dancing from Astralia to Madison Square. When they are not thumbing their nose at Sonia of Rahul, they are mocking the pseudo-secularists and the communists, the feminists and the human rights walas, in the process exposing their own minds completely. No I am not angry as I know how little they know, or care to know, about how their fellow human beings feel. I feel sad for their souls as they are not Anti-Sikh or Anti-Muslim, they are anti-just about everyone. They are against Gays and Women, Blacks and Whites, Kashmiris and South Indians, Biharis and Bengalis, Nepalis and Oriyas, and of course they are against anyone from any of the 7 states in the North-East or rumored to be from BANGLADESH(unless it is their own cheap household help they cannot live without). They are not very fond of Jailbirds or Free Birds, Lovers and Poets, Christians and Atheists. They dislike single people and Childless couples, the Poor Farmers and factory Workers, trade unions and communists, and of-course the retched Tribals and Dalits, the mouse eaters and Valmikis. (the list of stated and castes you dislike will change according to your ‘own’ region and caste) I do not think these people hate everyone or everything as they seem to love Television, Cricket and Bollywood, Bullet Trains, BMWs, Flyovers, and Billion Dollar Homes (Everything that represents ‘Development’), But most of all they love anything / anybody form USA ! Well of all the arguments I hear from people who think I am “ANTI ONE OR THE OTHER PERSON/PARTY” insist I should be protesting against Congress for what it did in 1984 (Well I am old enough to remember what the likes of Amitabh Bachan said on TV after Indira Gandhi died and what The RSS chief said in 1984, and the fact that the lynch mobs included people from more than one political party). Well it is very painful but I find this very ‘cute’. Because in their ultra small world-view, India is divided into CONGRESS AND BJP and one has to choose between 1984 and 2002 genocides. Since I am a Sikh I should ONLY worry about 1984. Of all the arguments one has heard in the last 30 years it is this that makes these people ethical imbeciles. Needless to remind them that Human rights are not just Decent behavior of those in power, but BASIC RIGHTS ! To all those ‘friends’ who have said it to me repeatedly, even insisted that I should look at 1984 and not 2002, I have one simple advice, GROW UP ! FIND YOUR OWN CAUSES AND LET ME SAY WHAT I think is right. Wanted to share a lot about 1984 but would end by saying a few lines my dad wrote then. Yeh naya daur hai, iss daur ka pagham samajh, Ghar ujadd jaane ko khushayee-e- aayam samajh. Kisi kauve ne tha bul bul ka nasheman todaa, ab har siaah cheez ko kaabil-e-dushnaam samajh. Khudd faroshi ka agar tujh main saleeqa hi nahin, Chod kaawish ko isay zahamt-e-naakaam samajh. Inn fizaaon mein muassar hai kise umra-e-daraaz, Jo bhi saans aaye usay zeest ka inaam samajh. Ahad-e-jamhoor, dayanat, nayee rakshanda sadee, Sab bade baton ko alfaaz ka ibhaam samajh. zahar aalood dhuaan ho to usay abra na maan, shorish-e-jahal ko mat dharm ka ahkaam samajh. Yeh ‘sukhan’ hai isay mat ched, yeh sach kah degaa. Is mohalle main isay aadmi badnaam samajh ! (‘sukhan’ is a pseudonym my dad sometimes used)
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 21:23:16 +0000
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