What a foreigner would think about India if he reads
about the happenings in our country? A country where there is no law and order
and peace prevailing. A country more risky and dangerous at the moment than
Syria. That’s the picture anyone will get if he relies on the media especially
the English media’s reporting on India. Suppression of freedom of expression,
hate killings, returning of the awards by the yesteryear awardees all goes to
paint a picture which looks so grim. But is it true? Is it even closer to
reality? It has become a habit for these media pundits to demand an answer from
Prime Minister for all issues starting from student’s rebellion in Pune to the
recent Dadri incident. An issue concerning the state administration is being
made to look as the folly of the central government. But one wonders how many
times these people have sought responses from Manmohan Singh when he was at the
helm of affairs, and even when he was accountable and responsible to answer the
nation?
This gives rise to the ever raising doubt that
whether these awards were given to the touts of the ruling party then. The
orchestrated manner in which all these so called ‘liberals’ are ranting against
the government confirms this doubt. When the 1984 genocide of Sikhs happened,
when on 26/11 in broad daylight and under media glare the henchmen from
Pakistan shot down several of our country men, when 1993 bomb attack killed
several and maimed hundreds of our brethren, when our own brothers in Kashmir
were made to flee their homes and take refuge elsewhere we didn’t see any of
these liberals surrender their awards nor raise their voice against the crime
that was being committed. And in the last two decades many bomb blasts and such
attacks happened which should have shaken the conscience of these people. Alas,
they were silent. The reason what the writers are quoting
is that to protest against the increasing violence and intolerance against
minorities. It doesn't help them or public in any way. Fact is that only the so
called secular and attention seeking writers are returning their award and they
are doing so not because they want to prove a point but to be in lime light. It
has become fashion these days to slam government to become famous.
Well as far as the hate crimes are concerned India
is not in the race to top the table. Canada which has 1/40 of India‘s
population has 1200 hate crimes in an year. And these are not Indian style ink
throwing incidents. Sweden, a much developed country which has 1/120 of India’s
population has about 6500 hate violence incidents last year. Even France and
Ireland have more. In a country of 1.3 billion people of various hues we can
very well say that these crimes are not on an alarming rise. But exaggerating
one incident and marring a whole nation is done with malicious intent. It’s
good that they are returning their ill-gotten awards. Better let them return it
with the prize money along with interest is the thought which pops up in every one’s
mind.
V.V.Balasubramanian
YB-ET
