Dear Friends
Once again there has been an attack on ordinary citizens - young women in this case unwinding at a Mangalore pub - by an extremist group with no accountability, respect for the rule of law and rights of the citizen.
There is every likelihood that their actions are at the behest of mainstream organisations operating within the parliamentary process that can conveniently deny any association with such 'Senas' - although they are tarnished with the same hue.
Once this issue is off the front pages, the prosecution process proceeds lethargically enough to employ the lumpen to execute the next such operation with impunity - to protect 'their culture and heritage' against fellow Indians.
In the meantime, we shall develop amnesia, engage in similar knee jerk reactions to greet the next attack in Mangalore, Karnataka or, perhaps elsewhere in the country.
The extremists are confident with an arrogance that urban middle class India will bark much but never bite. There will be a profusion of electronic messages exchanged but thereafter the matter vanishes off the columns inches and public mind.
Such extremists treat our reactions with as much scorn as who we are and what we represent. Elections are around the corner and the same gentlemen shall soon be visiting our doorsteps seeking our votes with hands folded.
Yes, at the earliest opportunity Mangalore should and must organise a non-violent show of strength.
On the day the Shree Ram Sena calls a bandh demanding the release of Pramod Muthalik the people of Mangalore - particularly the young women should gather peacefully on the streets in an endless programme of song and dance from sunrise to sunset - defying the bandh with a vengeance
February 14th is another option when the young boys and girls should gather on the streets walking hand in hand in lakhs in a peaceful procession shouting no slogans but ensuring the highest standards of public decorum.
Finally, all the youngsters - especially the women eligible to vote in the forthcoming elections should demand an unconditional apology from the Shree Ram Sena and an unconditional apology from the Chief Minister of Karnataka for violating their fundamental rights and failing to provide the safety and protection of the state machinery respectively.
This is what I consider a pro active strategy; it is for the people of Mangalore to consider and execute. Perhaps, the citizens of other towns and cities might consider a similar strategy to silence the moral police?
Once again there has been an attack on ordinary citizens - young women in this case unwinding at a Mangalore pub - by an extremist group with no accountability, respect for the rule of law and rights of the citizen.
There is every likelihood that their actions are at the behest of mainstream organisations operating within the parliamentary process that can conveniently deny any association with such 'Senas' - although they are tarnished with the same hue.
Once this issue is off the front pages, the prosecution process proceeds lethargically enough to employ the lumpen to execute the next such operation with impunity - to protect 'their culture and heritage' against fellow Indians.
In the meantime, we shall develop amnesia, engage in similar knee jerk reactions to greet the next attack in Mangalore, Karnataka or, perhaps elsewhere in the country.
The extremists are confident with an arrogance that urban middle class India will bark much but never bite. There will be a profusion of electronic messages exchanged but thereafter the matter vanishes off the columns inches and public mind.
Such extremists treat our reactions with as much scorn as who we are and what we represent. Elections are around the corner and the same gentlemen shall soon be visiting our doorsteps seeking our votes with hands folded.
Yes, at the earliest opportunity Mangalore should and must organise a non-violent show of strength.
On the day the Shree Ram Sena calls a bandh demanding the release of Pramod Muthalik the people of Mangalore - particularly the young women should gather peacefully on the streets in an endless programme of song and dance from sunrise to sunset - defying the bandh with a vengeance
February 14th is another option when the young boys and girls should gather on the streets walking hand in hand in lakhs in a peaceful procession shouting no slogans but ensuring the highest standards of public decorum.
Finally, all the youngsters - especially the women eligible to vote in the forthcoming elections should demand an unconditional apology from the Shree Ram Sena and an unconditional apology from the Chief Minister of Karnataka for violating their fundamental rights and failing to provide the safety and protection of the state machinery respectively.
This is what I consider a pro active strategy; it is for the people of Mangalore to consider and execute. Perhaps, the citizens of other towns and cities might consider a similar strategy to silence the moral police?
4 comments:
we are ready in Bhopal
The Mangalore pub incident. Its high time that we start reacting to these desi-version of Talibans. Moral policing is supposed to be done at an individual level, not on others. And if it is moral policing which is the main cause taken up by these political goons then they must not resort to VIOLENCE of all the things, as violence is simply against the very culture that they are trying to protect. Our culture is all about acceptance & tolerance, thats how we have survived all these centuries with our faith & civilisation intact. It is also important for everyone to recognise their rights & must learn & exercise some amount of advocacy to avoid and or mitigate an incident that happened in Mangalore. With this yardstick you can hit them back & question the very existence of their cause... The pub owners must also take a stand as they are the losers(financially atleast). How can socialising with the opposite sex be such a taboo?
I fully agree with this strategy. Let young boys and girls and men and women - young or old, come out in large numbers and say, we are willing to subjugate our freedom of expression to no 'immoral' polices of this country.
In solidarity,
Tom
The idea of a peaceful march is a wonderful. However, knowing the mindset of the "sena", there will be confrontation. We must be ready to stand up against them and be on the receiving end, without striking back.
This needs tremendous support, both in numbers and in being there for each other. We need a confirmed strength of at least a hundred and fifty or more people for this.
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