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Refusing to Learn: India’s tragedy



Catastrophes bring lessons with them. But who cares to learn? There is always a small minority of people who think, understand and learn from what is happening around them. Even Covid-19 will teach its lessons only to them. The majority will remain as foolish as they were before the catastrophe.

Look at what is happening in India if you don’t believe me. Almost everyday somebody or the other is being arrested or made to face some punitive action because Mr Narendra Modi doesn’t like him/her. The latest case is the show cause notice issued to Mohammad Mohsin IAS. The apparent reason is a tweet of his which said: “More than 300 Tablighi heroes are donating their plasma to serve the country in New Delhi only. What about it? Godi Media? They will not show you the works of humanity done by these heroes.” The actual reason: He had dared to check Modi’s helicopter last year during an election campaign.
 
A Reuters Headline: how the foreign media view India
Last week journalist Gowhar Geelani was booked by the J&K police for “indulging in unlawful activities through his posts and writings on social media”. He was the third journalist from the Kashmir Valley to be booked in just two days.

In Yogi’s Uttar Pradesh, a journalist who wrote about members of the Musahar community eating grass in villages around the prime minister’s parliamentary constituency was served a notice last month.

I have mentioned just three examples. There are many more instances of people being harassed in different ways for questioning Modi and his party. We can understand Modi being vindictive. Vindictiveness is in his blood. He has too small a heart in his 56-inch chest (which his tailor says is much less actually). It is not the meanness of Mr Modi that bugs me.

I see a whole lot of people (many of whom are my former students, colleagues or acquaintances) on Facebook, Twitter and other such places justifying all the wickedness perpetrated by Modi and his party people. When a global pandemic should force people to look within and introspect honestly, the amount of mendacity and hatred that is being peddled in the social media worries me. It should worry a lot more people.


This pandemic is a product of our own pettiness. We have created that virus with our mean-mindedness which led us to exploit everything and everybody without ever thinking of consequences. We are reaping the consequences now. Faced with a tragically stark reality, any sensible people would begin to shed hatred and biases and face the reality. Indians seem to be hardcore exceptions. Indians are using the pandemic to spread hatred and falsehood more vehemently than ever!

This hatred is worse than the virus. We can tame the virus with vaccines or medicines. The monster of hatred will only grow bigger and bigger as time passes especially when it has the blessings of the ruling dispensation. This hatred is going to swallow India, not the coronavirus.


xZx


The latest collection of my short stories, Love in the Time of Corona, is available below. Those who want a free copy can contact me personally. Those who would like to review it may also contact for a free copy.

https://store.pothi.com/book/ebook-tomichan-matheikal-love-time-corona



Comments

  1. Anagha YatinMay 3, 2020 at 9:02 AM

    Social media is much of a dubious nature these days, is what I believe. With everyone claiming some or the other fault with the current regime, drives me to check the roots of this onslaught. Many a times its found that its been driven rather than being organic. I am not a fan of any political party but an independent observer.
    Thankfully the social media represents only a handful of the people in the society living in the high towers with glass facade. The real India and real issues are far beyond these towers or the sight of these towers.
    Lockdown is not the time to fight the virus seems to have lost its meaning in the social media circles.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMay 3, 2020 at 9:14 AM

      The social media is a representative segment of society. The evil intent you find there gets its material shape in society. The number of people getting arrested for flimsy reasons puts the regime too under the scanner.

      Delete
  2. DashyMay 3, 2020 at 3:29 PM

    I have been thinking along the same lines. Of how even a pandemic couldn't stop communal hatred in the country. And it is indeed sad to see many turning a blind eye to the government's ways. The educated and uneducated alike seem to fall prey to brain washing in this matter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMay 3, 2020 at 3:46 PM

      I'm happy that you acknowledge the problem. Most people I know are unwilling to do that even. They try to convince me that everything is hunky-dory in Indian politics. As long as Modi is there everything is 'mumkin' - that's their argument.

      Delete
  3. जितेन्द्र माथुरMay 6, 2020 at 7:42 AM

    If we refuse to learn even in this hour of a crisis never thought of which has devastated not only the economy but also the social values, the sensitivity and a sense of belongingness to the mankind; then none can teach us. As far as the Bhaktas are concerned, even God can't wake them up from their self-imposed sleep. Let every individual stand up on his / her own for the cause of humanity and justice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMay 6, 2020 at 8:46 AM

      "Even God can't wake them..." This is just what I thought. Hence my next post which followed this: Gods of Savages.

      It is really a wonder why people refuse to learn even in the face of calamities. Or do calamities make people more mean?

      Delete

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