An open letter to the Prime Minister - We are not Intolerant

Dating back into the pages of history we see how India and Indians have with open arms accepted and respected people of different origin and treated all humans as equal. Let us trace back the civilisation of India which in the available history would be since Indus Valley Civilisation which was prominently Dravidian civilisation. In the ancient era came the Aryans, and we see how both Aryans and the Dravidians gelled together and stayed in the country as a family. Eventually in the medieval period came the Turks, the Afghans, the Chinese and subsequently settled here as local citizens. Finally in the modern era came the Europeans – the British, the French, Portuguese etc, yes this last lot of ‘visitors’ left mostly but India and its people absorbed the culture and is still very much visible in the society.

As history has it India was once the Golden Bird with large amount of wealth and riches, Babar in his memoir has mentioned that ‘India is a vast country with lots of gold and silver’. Though we might not have been the most developed civilisation of late, we might not have the highest GDP on the planet but there is one thing that India has continued to have since the beginning of time and is respected for the same all across the globe – that is its ability to mix, nature to absorb different cultures and live like a family amongst diversity.

Something that has never happened in the written history of my mother land but is happening now is this communal divide. For certain political benefit my country and the countrymen are now being portrayed as ‘intolerant’. This is something that the country never was. A bit lethargic may be, easy going, festive in nature, all these adjectives we are used to and we accept it. But Intolerant we are not and we shall not accept this.

Firstly, I don’t understand who is intolerant to whom? Every citizen of India has equal right and is free to exercise all his religious and personal belief as long as it is not to harm anybody else. I being a calcuttan cannot be intolerant to a Mumbaikar or Delhite cannot be intolerant to Bangalorean. The country belongs to us all and nobody is being generous to another for allowing him/ her to stay or practice their belief.

Well that was a generalised example we all know what the intolerance is about. It’s about religious belief. All of a sudden, Indians now do not respect each other’s religion. Is that true? Do we actually not respect the counterparts or we have been subjected to a political Feud? For all these years politicians made false promises, indulged into corruptions, made a mockery of democracy and all of that was still accepted by the people assuming things would improve and this was just within the country and did not affect the image of the country globally. But what is happening now is damaging the age long perspective of Indians.  It took us 1000s of years to create a reputation of being good people. I don’t think we can let that dampen for someone’s personal political benefits.

After almost 200 years of colonial rule when we finally got independence in 1947. Just one ‘new’country was formed as opposed to the general notion of two countries. When the proposal of separation was tabled with the proposition of two new countries, our first Prime Minister, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, categorically mentioned that India/ Bharat shall continue its age long identity and whoever wanted to leave could do so. Hence a new country was formed which apparently claimed to be an Islamic Republic following only one major religion. But India as always continued as a secular country, giving equal right to all its citizen irrespective of religious beliefs. But now it seems like things are changing or at least the politicians are making the world believe so.

I would humbly request the Prime Minister to give up the policy which is defaming the country. Or if he is not involved in doing so kindly supress the ones who are involved. We have witnessed how for some handful of people who claim to be the protectors of their religion, the entire section of a certain caste is now viewed with suspicion. How for no reason countries are being labelled as terrorist countries and the citizen have to face the humiliation all over the world for no mistake of theirs. Well at least no direct mistake of their owing to the fact that had they protested against such behaviour at an early stage their country would not have been in such a situation. 

Nonetheless I am here concerned about my country and I don’t want India to be labelled as intolerant or disrespectful. Kindly stop those who are spreading the hatred. It shall do no good to anybody. We have been known for treating our guests like Gods (Atithi deva bhava) how can we be disrespectful to our own family members. All Indians are equal and no one is tolerating another. If you believe you are tolerating the other kindly leave as the country does not belong to people with such mindset

Police - do they make you feel safe or scared ?

Every day I go out of my house I feel safe that I won’t be pick-pocketed, robbed, beaten up or ripped because there is police in my city and they will protect me. I can sleep in peace because I know I have police staying awake. When my sister goes out partying I am not scared for her because there is police taking care of my city. But all of this was till yesterday.

Today morning I woke up to a news where a couple were abused, tortured and beaten up to the point where they started bleeding and all of this because ...... because ........ Well for nothing... Because police feels relieved by treating the common man like this. Because police is frustrated by the VVIP culture where they have to serve politicians and they take out the anger on comman people.

And what was is common man doing? He is tolerating it. Who says our country is intolerant, see a boy and a girl having a personal talk, unfortunately in front of the police station, police believes there might be a case of eve teasing and molestation in spite of the fact that the girl emphasizes that they are friends and sorting out some misunderstandings but the police take them inside the station beat them up, abuse them, torture them and we all silently tolerate all of this.

In democracy, by definition, the country belongs to the citizen and they appoint civil 'servants' to serve them. People pay taxes from where they are given salaries. But all of this is too bookish. In reality, common man is a slave given an opportunity to live in the country which belongs to the politicians who are direct representatives of God or may be bigger than God... And common man has to serve the politicians and all other civil servants.

Police who were supposed to be serving common man has eventually became a private servants of politicians and VVIPs. Do I feel safe now when I am walking out in the streets, do I feel safe now when my sister is out for work or partying, and do I feel safe when I see a police officer around? NO not any more. Rather when I see a police officer now I feel scared for the fact that he might rather abuses his power and torture me. I don’t have the guts to enter a police station and lodge a complaint. I can’t trust the police for my protection any more. Police that was created to protect the society has now became a threat the very society.

I don’t feel safe in the hands of the current police system. DO YOU ?

Should switch hit be allowed?

With the advent of T20 cricket and brisk scoring we have seen many new shots coming up like upper cut, paddle above the head of the keeper, reverse sweep though was always there but has become very eminent now. But there is this one shot that has left the bowlers awe struck. It’s the switch hit. A stroke where a right handed batsman would change his grip to that of a left hander and execute the shot. Looks very innovative and destructive can ruin any plan of any given bowler. Is it legal? Having learnt that yes MCC – the body that control the laws of cricket has approved it I shall rephrase my question to – should it be legal ?

There are two requisites of a game. When the toss is conducted, both the captains exchange a sheet of paper whereby the final playing eleven is mentioned. This sheet apparently names the players and defines them – like Captain, Wicket keeper, Right handed Batsman, Left Handed Batsman, Right arm Pace bowler, Left Arm of spinner, All Rounder etc. This is done for a reason. The reason is to let the opposition know the players and they can starategise accordingly. This is phase I

Phase II - Before the bowler starts his run-up he has to inform the umpire as to which side of the wicket will he bowl from and which arm will he use. Which is then announced loudly by the umpire so that the batsman knows what is coming.  Similarly the batsman takes guard and the bowler knows which side is he batting and thus can strategise his line and length.

If the bowler uses the other arm instead of what was told to the Umpire, the umpire calls it a No Ball (ICC Law 24 No Ball). Why so? May be because the batsman was expecting say a right arm delivery, so he was looking at that arm trying to guess the seam position, the grip but then the ball comes out from the other arm and the batsman was foxed.

If so, then is it not unfair towards the bowler when he is told that the batsman would be batting right handed and he chooses his line and length accordingly, the field is set based on that, then at the time of delivery the batsman switches grip and all the strategies fail for no mistake of the bowling side.

Is this not unfair to the bowlers? What would you say

Devanampiya - will the history repeat?

Down the lanes of history if we try and find the names of the greatest rulers who bestowed the human gown one name stands clearly apart. The Devanampiya or the one loved by God, the third ruler of the Maurya Clan -  Asoka.

Asoka is considered as the greatest or at least different amongst the greatest as in an era where other rulers conquered by mass murder and brutal force he did it with love and peace. He believed in winning the hearts of the people than winning the land. He is the one ruler who conquered no man but himself.

But all of this is one side of the story. The other side is rather brutal and blood-fed. Buddhist legends state that Asoka was bad-tempered and of a wicked nature. As the legend has it he went on to fight some of the mightiest battles in the history of mankind including the famous battle of Kalinga where about 300,000 soldiers, commoners, peasants even females and children we killed while they fought for their honour in the hour of defeat. Not just them Asoka is also said to have killed his brothers to bestow upon the throne. After such brutal slaughter of mankind so many lives lost Asoka was being termed as Chandal Asoka (the fierce ruler). Then what happened that the history forgave him for? After all the man slaughter he had done why was he not criticised in the pages of history? Why is he Asoka the Great but not Asoka the Cruel Fanatic?

Well may be that’s because he realised his path was wrong. The way in which he tried to conquer the world was not humane and this gave rise to Devanampiya – the beloved of God. He preached Buddhism within his territory and beyond. Gave up the expansion of his kingdom through warfare. Showed the path of Dhamma to the people and suddenly he was loved by all. Due to his good deeds all seem to have forgiven him. The time in history, the people, The God all of them started loving him and he became the greatest ruler of the era.

Thus was the journey from Chand Asoka to Devanampiya and the world remembers him as a star that shines brightest amongst the hundreds and thousands of kings who crowd the pages of history.

Years passed by and another man came into existence. A brat, Bad boy in the society who creates menace, breaks laws, is in the news for all the wrong reasons. The world hates him like never before. People say he is a threat to the society, a man who repeatedly abuses his power and position. Knowingly or unknowingly is getting into one thing or another. Is said to be bad tempered and wicked.

But then comes a transformation. He goes out of his way to help not just his close associates, family and friends but humans in general. Donates a big chunk of his income to the needy. Starts preaching among his fans and followers to help others. Shows the path of Being Human. All of a sudden perceptions change. Over the time people start loving him. The Bad boy becomes the Giver.

He becomes popular all across the globe for his humanitarian activities.This guy who was alleged for killing people, breaking laws abusing his power emerges as a man with a Golden heart.

But still there are many who believe he should not be forgiven, who believe his misdeeds should be paid for. Will his good deeds win over his bad past? Will he be forgiven?  History is believed to repeat itself. Do I take this as an example? Time will tell. Though I am not comparing the two, they are not far apart.