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Monday, August 10, 2015

Love for Tokenism


How much we love tokenism is something which does not need much elaboration. Come examinations and all students turn religious over- night. They make more trips to temples than ever before. |The mothers shower extra affection and stuff the mouth with some sweet to ensure that good luck stays! This is equally true for bigger mortals like the politicians who run the country. Just prior to the elections, most of them are busy appeasing the gods besides making false promises. They visit temples; touch the feet of holy godmen to ensure that the dame luck does not desert them on the D day.

The numerologists suggest adding an extra letter in the name so that it brings good luck. Whenever there is a calamity, instead of preparing for it in advance and taking the bull by the horns, those who are in power get busy in the blame game. The roads cave in during the monsoons, the houses collapse, the bridges and railway lines get inundated year after year but what do we do? No lessons are ever learnt, no one ever gets punished, and it is business as usual. The near and dear ones are compensated by paltry money which is the cost of human life viewed by the state.

When terrorists strike or Maoists ambush the police and kill, the mighty leaders raise the decibel level in speech to avenge but within a matter of months the story is recreated and the life goes on!

When it comes to our love for the opposite gender, the moment there is a rape there is uproar and in the unfortunate event the victim dies, there are candle light marches and long debates. If by stroke of luck the offenders are caught, the wheels of justice grind at a speed that would put a tortoise to shame! In democracy there are 1.2 billion voices and the sensible ones get drowned first in the cacophony!

In recent times the trend of taking selfies has become yet another symbol of tokenism! On ‘Daughter’s Day’ people take selfies with daughter and post them on FB and ‘Tweet’ to be heard! During other times they engage in activities like prenatal sex determination and abort a female fetus! Our books are replete with stories of valor and sacrifice of women yet no city in India can claim to be free from the scourge of eve teasing and molestation of women!

We have builts monoliths in name of sports stadia but what is the percentage of time in a year that these host the sporting events?

Since Independence the number of people who engage more in verbose action has multiplied and sadly those who can act has dwindled! The ratio has to reverse and mediocrity needs to make way for merit to see plausible change!

PS- Image Kind courtesy Google


10 comments:

  1. Very true! We stand only for that moment alone rather supporting quite for a change. Some incidents comes to view because there is evidence... just how law expects, but thousands happening at rear is not unfolded.

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    1. Thanks for reading Jeevan! Your observations are right!

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  2. Most are so stressed and upset with their lives that any succor from any quarters is welcome. Be it religious or faith related. In the political arena, tokenism and symbolism have become a habit, more than credible action. And sport was never a priority in a nation that is struggling for survival.

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  3. We are reduced to empty words. And public display on social media something I hate. High words and zero action, just like you said. I bet on Saturday we will patriots who don't even know all states in India.

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    1. Ha ha... well saiid Saru! On a serious note , sometimes I feel it is a pathetic state of affairs!

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  4. I turn a kind,blind eye to students remembering God during exams but I am surprised how even stupid tokenisms initiated by politicians are taken up by a gullible public.

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    1. Unfortunately too many politicians and godmen/women have ruined this country!

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  5. Well articulated Rahul Ji. You have described today's India perfectly !

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