The Talibanisation of modern India

As you may have read in one of my earlier posts (a long, long, loooong time back!), one of my favourite things to look forward to is a Sunday morning, sitting with a cup of freshly brewed South Indian filter coffee in one hand, and The Times of India in the other. I always am eager to read the editorial section in the Sunday edition of TOI, where the thoughts of some of the best experts in finance, politics, business, sports and entertainment are presented. This past Sunday, a very thought-provoking article that was published caught my eye. It was based on the new wave of social extremism that seems to have swept through our country in recent times. All of a sudden, fights over religious differences, political blame-games, and even regionalism, seem to have taken a backseat. Apparently, a group of self-righteous people, mainly looking to gain some political ground, have taken it upon themselves to "cleanse" our society of its sins. They hold themselves above the law, above the prevailing social structure, and above humanity itself. They have been grossly brainwashed and misled on the nuances of our value system, ethics and culture which our country can proudly boast of. The author of the article, whose name currently escapes my mind, calls this the "Talibanisation of India".

Having read a substantial amount recently in Khaled Hosseini's books ("The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns") about the disturbing tales of the horrors that Afghans have faced in the last 40-odd years, I cannot help but compare the social system that the Taliban tried to bring into Afghanistan, and what the social radicals are trying to do in India right now. Innocent young women, whose only "crime" was to walk in and out of a club in Mangalore, were abused and beaten up in full public view. Couples sitting in parks etc. have been harrassed and further beaten, and, on Valentine's day, even forcibly married off! Even a policeman, who we trust with our lives, indulges in some couple-clobbering, dragging them away to a police station, only to find that there is no law under which he could book them. Even a brother-sister pair were taken for a couple and beaten up. All romantic alliances are seen as mortal sins which must be punished severely, that too physically. A taste of the Taliban, anyone?? The only difference seems to be that the Taliban roamed around in red Toyota jeeps carrying Kalashnikovs, while here the fundamentalists run around on the road (at the most commandeer a red Toyota Innova....sorry but I had to put that in!), and use anything they can lay their hands on as a weapon. It indeed is a shocking revelation, which should simultaneously serve as a wake-up call as well.

This is not about standing up in defiance against these extreme elements, but about facing the broader consequences of the issue, and getting that into everyone's head. I'm not saying that going to a pub, having drinks, smoking cigarettes, doping etc. should be completely permitted in society. In fact, I'm all for stricter implementation of stringent laws on the latter two at least. But its time both sides of society buck up and realize their responsibilities - be it as a friend, a brother/sister, a son/daughter, a father/mother, or simply as an adult and as a citizen of this great nation. We should be mature enough to understand what is right and what is wrong, what's good for us and what isn't. And for those who cannot come around to understanding and making those decisions, we need to ensure that the law is above all else, and more importantly, that the law is implemented correctly, logically and effectively. This may be a democracy, but no one has the right to take the law into their own hands. No one has the right to impose their own will on others. Yet, at the same time, no one has the right to hurt and disregard the sentiments of their fellow citizens, whether they make sense or not, which is something we need to be a little extra-careful about.

Until the next...

A few tears say a thousand words..

One may say that a defining hallmark of a true sportsman is his ability to acknowledge, after a defeat, the fact that he has been beaten by a better man. At the finals of the 2009 Australian Open Men's Singles Championship, Roger Federer did just that through the use of a few tears. It seemed as if the round of applause and cheering that the crowd provided as he stepped up to speak after receiving the runners-up shield had overwhelmed him, but deeply, he may have realized that all that support was now starting to stem out of empathy rather than appreciation. He would have realized that, for the second successive Grand Slam final against his nemesis Rafael Nadal, he threw everything but the kitchen sink at him, yet failed to even cause a dent in the Spaniard's machinery. Rafa slowly but steadily absorbed everything the Swiss ace launched at him, and then demonstrated the magical capabilities that enabled him to dethrone the then king of Wimbledon. He also showed that his record against Fedex was no fluke; that he, indeed, was the better player. Armed with a fierce forehand and a bundle of energy, Nadal ran Roger ragged, picking him apart at will. He displayed absolutely no signs of the tiredness that everyone predicted he would experience, coming on the back of a 5+ hour marathon against compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the semis less than 48 hours earlier. When the dust had finally settled, Rafa stood tall, knowing that he had yet again mastered his fiercest rival, physically as well as mentally.

Having said this, I would definitely be rooting for Federer to overcome the odds in Paris, come May. He has a massive challenge ahead of him now, and the horror of the final at Roland Garros a year earlier would definitely be playing on his mind. But a win at Paris this year would surely cement his place in history as arguably the greatest player the sport has ever seen. One thing is for sure, he would be much more determined than ever this year at the French Open.....the feud is now slowly developing into a battle for personal pride more than for Championships in the case of R-Fed.

South of the equator, the downfall of another champion(s) was witnessed - Ricky Ponting and his (not so) merry men. The Aussie cricket team has endured a horrific last 6 months, slumping from defeat after defeat. It all started with their tour of India, when the men in blue shocked the cricketing world with the ease with which they dispatched the Aussie brigade 2-0 in the test series. Returning to their homeland stunned and disheartened, they restored some pride with a test series win against neighbours New Zealand, although they did flatter to deceive in the process. On came the South Africans, riding high on a wave of successes earlier in the year. The Proteas came into the series with a dismal test record in Australia, but they capitalised on the poor form of the home side to deliver a 2-1 thumping to them in the test series and a 4-1 mauling in the ODI series, in the process becoming the no. 1 ODI side in the world. Cricket fans all over the world stared dumbfounded at the petty joke that the Australian side had been reduced to. Sure, everyone expected the absence of the likes of McGrath, Warne, Lee and Gilchrist to have a major impact on the quality of the side, but nobody would even in their wildest dreams would have imagined 6 months ago that the Aussies would capitulate as tamely as they did. Even today, I sit here writing this after watching them get beaten by a rookie New Zealand ODI team, after being bowled out for a paltry 181.

It really is sad to see so many champions around the world falling one by one, although some may look at it positively and say it does wonders for the game - nobody likes to see a sport dominated by one person or one team. A little healthy competition never hurts!! And hey, I'm not really complaining.......as long as the trend continues and we witness the demise of yet another champion side - this time in football - namely, Manchester United!!! ;)

Until the next...

P.S : 11.30 pm.....late addition to the post :

Toooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssss!! Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!! Liverpool 2 -0 Chelsea!!!! El Nino is up and running again, Red Devils beware!!! Cmon u Reds!! YNWA!!!