The so called intellectual elite in India have
always displayed a stereo typed outlook devoid of originality and courage when debating
sensitive and controversial social issues. Thus, the British are invaders and plunderers while the Mughuls whom they dethroned have
been rightful rulers of our land; Pakistan is a well meaning, law abiding
nation and all that is needed to do solve the problems between the countries is
to sit across the table and start talking; same sex marriage is what the world
needs to make it a more beautiful and loving place; Sanjay Dutt is just a
guileless and innocent boy with an unfortunate fetish for AK-47s, death penalty is inhuman and cruel when all
the guy has done is to blow up our Parliament
and kill a few cops who were interfering, but in a rape case the only just punishment
is death by hanging, if you run over a stray dog (or puppy for that matter) on
the road, you are a reckless maniac behind the wheels, but if the victims are
homeless laborers sleeping on the pavement, it is just their goddamn fault!! Viewed against this backdrop, the remark from
Mr Amartya Sen about Narendra Modi is hardly surprising. Clearly
this is the right noise to make if you want to be counted as a liberal, left of center intellectual. But when such views are amplified manifold
through collective cacophony orchestrated by a pervasive and omnipotent media,
it becomes necessary for commoners like me to don the role of the proponent of
counterpoint. Else, the cartel
controlling the propaganda machinery would make sure that alternate views gets
no space for expression and slowly drowns in the decibel whirlpool created by
them.
Now, Mr. Sen is well within his rights to
express his preference or otherwise for a prime ministerial candidate. To that extent, he cannot be blamed if what
he meant was to say that he does not think Modi is the right person to sit in
the PM’s chair. But the statement was
far from that.. What he said (if reports
are to be believed) is that “he wishes Modi would not become PM”. This is a snooty and supercilious taunt that
casts sinister aspersions on arguably the most popular prime ministerial
candidate in India today. This sort of statement can be tolerated from a
politician, but not from an academician.
As an Indian citizen who plans to vote in the next elections I request Mr.
Sen to be more granular and elaborate in expressing his views. For example he can say, I prefer Rahul Gandhi
to Modi because I prefer Rahul’s inept escapism
to Modi’s able Hindu Nationalism; or I prefer Lallu Prasad Yadhav to Modi
because Lallu is only corrupt and
uncouth while Modi though able and self assured is still a Hindu Nationalist, or I prefer a Mulayam to Modi, because I
believe minority appeasement is better than assertive nationalism, or I prefer
a Communist lead government to Modi, because communists only muzzle freedom and
free enterprise which is preferable to the ardent nationalism displayed by
Modi or I prefer congress rule to Modi rule because an economy going to
shambles is a better option than being ruled by a person who is unapologetic
about his Hindu lineage or ............
My request to intellectuals of all hues
and shades is this. Express your views
by all means, but not in a manner that can vitiate the minds of the electorate . If you believe Rahul Gandhi or his chosen
regents are better option than Modi, say so by all means; If you feel that we can eradicate poverty by
declaring that it is a state of mind or by declaring that Rs.35 is all you need to live happily ever after, say
so with conviction; if you feel that the 2G scam, coal scam, Rail
scam, defense scam etc. etc. are all more palatable to having Modi as our PM say
so in as many words; if you feel a bunch of plundering politicians calling
themselves as an alliance offer better prospects for India than Modi, say so loudly
and clearly; if you feel that a puppet of a Prime Minister dancing to the tune
of a mother-son duo is better than a Prime Minister who knows his mind, say so
boldly, but for heaven’s sake don’t go around mumbling half baked innuendos because, owing to your academic insignia, you
may be taken seriously, with disastrous consequences for our country.
Prakash
No comments:
Post a Comment