So as you might have already guessed, I have completed the second season of the much awaited Sacred Games on Netflix. Few months back, I had picked up the book as well and completed it hurriedly before the second season. Now I was pretty much aware of how the series would end but the makers did change and included quite a bit of new stuff. So all in all I enjoyed watching the season 2. But a few things got me to thinking about how it has become like really a habit and somewhat fashionable to make movies/series/books/articles where the central idea is Hindu bashing.
Now I am no sympathizer or a Bhakt (as the pro government people are popularly referred to as). I am a common observer who stays as far as possible from the very disturbing political debates. I zone myself out whenever I have to witness those so called debates on TV news channels. But the recent turn of events and my observations on them have forced me to speak up or in my case write up.
Everything said and done I do agree that a healthy criticism is good and very much needed for a good functioning democracy. Also no one really has to be a fan of a particular working government party. But how do you justify the disrespect? The disregard of people. Whatever you may say or do, the truth is that India is a Hindu majority country. I don't understand why this fact has to be all hush-hush affair. Do we not call Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Oman, Iran and so many other countries as Islamic nations? Why is there no hushing up there so as not to hurt the minority sentiments. While take care of minorities is obviously something that should be unsaid and natural, treating others like second class citizen is not cool.
It started with when I found couple on scenes in Sacred Games subtly pushed in to supposedly highlight the miseries inflicted on members of a particular community. The real issue is that these scenes had nothing to do or add into the story-line. These details were also missing from the book, but we all know how the book story is butchered for the big screen. If I made you curious, it was the lynching scene wherein Katekar's boy was seen enjoying all the violence. Not long back there was another Netflix series Leila - A dystopian drama eerily similar to Margret Atwood's The Handmaid's tale. Here the central theme was how India is all "Hindu Rashtra" and everyone's in misery (except Hindus of higher caste ofcourse). Taj Mahal is burned and many other blasphemous story lines form the central idea of this series.
And then we have the Goddess of Sedition - a certain Ms Roy who had my heart at one point of time but things have soured since then. While her speeches and articles are well known for being Anti-national, it is now reflecting in her books too. Her last one, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness has many references about Mr Modi - his chest size, the magnanimous winning in 2014, the Gujarat riots etc etc. Although she has denied the resemblance but hey, who are we kidding here. There is also a considerable compassion in the book for Kashmiri Muslims and their apparent fight for freedom. There is a very elaborate love angle between one of the man protagonist of the story and a Kashmiri student turned militant Musa Yeswi. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if the tables were turned, would people even dare to write and openly make jokes or comments about the minority. We all know what happened with Mr Rushdie and his Satanic verses.
Also what irks me is the fact that right after Article 370 was revoked, there were many hashtags like 'KashmirBurning', 'Redforkashmir', 'KashmirBurns' trending on social media. Mind boggingly many Instagram influencers were sharing these stories and status about how Kashmir (or Indian Occupied Kashmir, as they like to call it) was under siege and how the actions of Indian government were un-democratic. Well, why would someone blindly share something on social media without having any prior or proper knowledge is beyond me. Just because the topic is trending doesn't mean you have to jump into the bandwagon. Now don't ask me how I know about the knowledge gap - I just do. The decision of revoking article 370 was for the entire (erstwhile) state of Jammu and Kashmir, which comprises of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. But somehow Jammu and Ladakh are always removed from the radar - whether for news or any sort of development.
People suddenly complaining about undemocratic actions should check the 2019 voting statistics. Did the people of Kashmir not openly defy elections by refusing to vote? Some Democracy that is! Curfew was and has to be imposed for maintaining law and order. Army was deployed as a precautionary measure considering the history of Kashmir. Have people forgotten what happened on the streets of Kashmir when Burhan Wani was gunned down? And in the past the Separatist leaders have called for Bandhs with the drop of a hat, yet no one complained about education, medical emergencies and fresh vegetables. Jammu was continuously under curfew and agitation for 60 days back in 2008 and might I add due to a fire there was no electricity as well. In sweltering heat of August. Yet no one complained for felt bad, because its Jammu right, who cares? But the moment its Kashmir everyone is suddenly brought to attention right from Pakistan to UN to China to USA - everybody must somehow be involved.
I understand no internet in this age is crazy and difficult. Even my parents are facing the brunt of it but before criticizing the decision one needs to be well-versed with the history. Internet, text communication has been misused in the past in Kashmir for well orchestrated protests, stone pelting, distracting and helping in evacuating terrorists. I present the recent piece of news from Kashmir and let you decide whether stringent measures are needed or not. Also expect people to be more responsible about what they choose to share online (especially the ones with considerable social media standing!).
I think I have more more to say, maybe in another post.
Till then lets use social media responsibly.
Love:
Sepo
Now I am no sympathizer or a Bhakt (as the pro government people are popularly referred to as). I am a common observer who stays as far as possible from the very disturbing political debates. I zone myself out whenever I have to witness those so called debates on TV news channels. But the recent turn of events and my observations on them have forced me to speak up or in my case write up.
Everything said and done I do agree that a healthy criticism is good and very much needed for a good functioning democracy. Also no one really has to be a fan of a particular working government party. But how do you justify the disrespect? The disregard of people. Whatever you may say or do, the truth is that India is a Hindu majority country. I don't understand why this fact has to be all hush-hush affair. Do we not call Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Oman, Iran and so many other countries as Islamic nations? Why is there no hushing up there so as not to hurt the minority sentiments. While take care of minorities is obviously something that should be unsaid and natural, treating others like second class citizen is not cool.
It started with when I found couple on scenes in Sacred Games subtly pushed in to supposedly highlight the miseries inflicted on members of a particular community. The real issue is that these scenes had nothing to do or add into the story-line. These details were also missing from the book, but we all know how the book story is butchered for the big screen. If I made you curious, it was the lynching scene wherein Katekar's boy was seen enjoying all the violence. Not long back there was another Netflix series Leila - A dystopian drama eerily similar to Margret Atwood's The Handmaid's tale. Here the central theme was how India is all "Hindu Rashtra" and everyone's in misery (except Hindus of higher caste ofcourse). Taj Mahal is burned and many other blasphemous story lines form the central idea of this series.
And then we have the Goddess of Sedition - a certain Ms Roy who had my heart at one point of time but things have soured since then. While her speeches and articles are well known for being Anti-national, it is now reflecting in her books too. Her last one, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness has many references about Mr Modi - his chest size, the magnanimous winning in 2014, the Gujarat riots etc etc. Although she has denied the resemblance but hey, who are we kidding here. There is also a considerable compassion in the book for Kashmiri Muslims and their apparent fight for freedom. There is a very elaborate love angle between one of the man protagonist of the story and a Kashmiri student turned militant Musa Yeswi. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if the tables were turned, would people even dare to write and openly make jokes or comments about the minority. We all know what happened with Mr Rushdie and his Satanic verses.
Also what irks me is the fact that right after Article 370 was revoked, there were many hashtags like 'KashmirBurning', 'Redforkashmir', 'KashmirBurns' trending on social media. Mind boggingly many Instagram influencers were sharing these stories and status about how Kashmir (or Indian Occupied Kashmir, as they like to call it) was under siege and how the actions of Indian government were un-democratic. Well, why would someone blindly share something on social media without having any prior or proper knowledge is beyond me. Just because the topic is trending doesn't mean you have to jump into the bandwagon. Now don't ask me how I know about the knowledge gap - I just do. The decision of revoking article 370 was for the entire (erstwhile) state of Jammu and Kashmir, which comprises of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. But somehow Jammu and Ladakh are always removed from the radar - whether for news or any sort of development.
People suddenly complaining about undemocratic actions should check the 2019 voting statistics. Did the people of Kashmir not openly defy elections by refusing to vote? Some Democracy that is! Curfew was and has to be imposed for maintaining law and order. Army was deployed as a precautionary measure considering the history of Kashmir. Have people forgotten what happened on the streets of Kashmir when Burhan Wani was gunned down? And in the past the Separatist leaders have called for Bandhs with the drop of a hat, yet no one complained about education, medical emergencies and fresh vegetables. Jammu was continuously under curfew and agitation for 60 days back in 2008 and might I add due to a fire there was no electricity as well. In sweltering heat of August. Yet no one complained for felt bad, because its Jammu right, who cares? But the moment its Kashmir everyone is suddenly brought to attention right from Pakistan to UN to China to USA - everybody must somehow be involved.
I understand no internet in this age is crazy and difficult. Even my parents are facing the brunt of it but before criticizing the decision one needs to be well-versed with the history. Internet, text communication has been misused in the past in Kashmir for well orchestrated protests, stone pelting, distracting and helping in evacuating terrorists. I present the recent piece of news from Kashmir and let you decide whether stringent measures are needed or not. Also expect people to be more responsible about what they choose to share online (especially the ones with considerable social media standing!).
I think I have more more to say, maybe in another post.
Till then lets use social media responsibly.
Love:
Sepo
You should definately write more often! Even this political view point post is written so beautifully. This is certainly one of the best opinion I have came across for the current Kashmir issue.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Abhi :) Means a lot!
ReplyDelete