In the eyes of ….

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