The Terror Within

I am prompted to write this piece by an article I have just read which questions why India is contemptuous of its soldiers and continues to have dialogue with Pakistan. There is a comment in the article about how "an entire state government machinery can be put on guard to protect a commercial venture of an individual" (the context: the release of Shahrukh Khan's movie 'My Name Is Khan' being held to ransom by violent elements due to remarks made by him in favour of Pakistani cricketers playing in India) while our soldiers are regularly disrespected by the Indian Government with the state kowtowing to Pakistan.

I do believe that India remains inconsistent in its approach to Pakistan and offers an easy, soft target to external perpetrators of terror. That said, while we do need to strengthen our response, fighting the battle within has gained utmost importance for me. When we are weak internally, we cannot hope to stand up to external threats - and we don't need external terror to destroy us when we are so hell bent on doing the job ourselves.

Unfortunately, our institutions are failing us - be it the executive, the legislature or the judiciary...and now the fourth estate, our media. Our very social fabric is in danger of being torn up by vested interests. India in the 21st Century finds itself in a cultural and political morass. We need to stand up to the hooligans and let it be known that as a society, we aren't going to be held to ransom....and if it takes an entire state government machinery to do it...so be it!

Education for the educated

Over 40% of married women in India experience physical abuse by their husbands - so informs us a recent newspaper article publishing the result of National Family Health Survey III. It goes on to say that 'shockingly', 54% of women and 51% of men think wife beating is OK.

I beg to differ. There is nothing shocking about this whatsoever. Well, shocking in the sense of terrible, yes, but not if what is meant is 'sudden and violent disturbance of feelings or the nervous system'. Dr. Sulabha Parasuraman, who spearheaded the survey says "....this social attitude has to change immediately". Words well meant ....but naive.

Social attitudes are formed over long periods of time and it takes a lot of time and perseverance to change them too. There is no such thing as immediate change in society. In the context of abuse, it is believed that a change can be brought about by greater education of women. This can only be partially true. Education leading to financial empowerment of women will definitely play a role - but more at the second step - by offering her the choice to stand up to abuse. But what about prevention of abuse? That can only come about by enlightenment of the mind - male and female!

We are an ill educated nation - and I'm referring to the 'educated' lot of us here. The great, big Indian dream a couple of decades ago was to acquire an engineering or medical degree; the current fad, of course, is the ubiquitous MBA. Got an MBA - you've 'made it'! The idea here is not to pick on the poor MBA (it must have it's usefulness, I'm sure) - it's the mindset that I find bothersome.

Right from kindergarten, 'education' has little to do with learning and growth. We are not encouraged to question - in fact, quite the contrary. The objective is not to expand the mind - but just to get that all important 'Degree'!

The alphabet is drilled into us, but who teaches us not to throw garbage on the street? We painstakingly have to learn our algebra, but do we have to know anything about social responsibility? Sure we're taught to dissect a cockroach, but are we educated to be tolerant towards another point of view? What about multi-faceted learning, one that goes beyond v=u+at? Remember ever having had an art appreciation class at school? Was the meaning of human dignity ever up for discussion?

We are, in 21st Century India, a barbaric society, and what is worse, hypocrisy is our middle name. It perhaps explains our 'shock' at all that is patently commonplace - we are not blind, but choose to be blindfolded. To evolve, our education needs to be holistic, encompassing the intellectual - scientific, creative and philosophical, physical, emotional and spiritual spectra. One cannot change a social mindset without an education that is socially relevant - we need to be taught to be civilized, learn to be humane. But, who's interested? For society to change, individual thought needs to change first. How many are prepared to bite the bullet?

Of historical figures and their place in time

'Who was born on Oct 2?'
So screamed the headline of a National Newspaper on the 138th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The article went on to publish the knowledge, or rather the lack of it, that the common man on the street has about the Mahatma.

It went something like this:

Q. Where was he born?
A. ?
Q. When was he killed?
A. ??
Q. What was his wife's name?
A. ???
Q. What did he do for India?
A. Huh? Don't really know what he did for us, but must have been something right....else why would his birthday be a holiday for us every year?

Come Oct 2nd and January 30th, reams are written about this apostle of peace. Another great leader of this nation also shares his birthday with Gandhi. Lal Bahadur Shastri is a forgotten man. He doesn't find mention in any publication, and why should he? When Gandhi is an unknown entity today, irrelevant to many, what chance does Shastri stand?