I wonder why fundamentalist groups are called "Right Wing" and communist groups "Left Wing", and it adds to my confusion, when i see a bird as a symbol of freedom. It's a mystery for me to imagine a bird flying with such hollow and unhealthy wings.
I don't care to think much about the Left, because even the best practitioners (Chinese) are now giving it away and have incorporated democratic principles, first in economy and then in administration. However, what grabs my attention is the Right Wing, it's philosophy and the groups practising it.
These right wing groups had always voiced their opinions and often displeasure towards anything that doesn't fit in their philosophy, however falls under our freedom of expression. The denial of entry to Salman Rushdie, the killing of Christians in Orissa, the Khalistan movement, the Babri Masjid incident are some of the most infamous acts of these right wings. They have however, become too vociferous in the recent times. I would like to share today's incident where the Symbiosis International University decided to call off the screening of Sanjay Kak's documentary "Jashn-e-Azaadi" based on Kashmir. The reason being a group of instigated jobless volunteers raising slogans and hinting violence. I wonder how many of them had actually seen the documentary. I wonder how many of them even knew the reality of Kashmir. They called the documentary, anti-national and pro-separatist. I wonder how many of them even know the meaning of "pro-separatist", and any of their leaders and their modus operandi. If the film was passed by the Censor Board, who were these jerks to call it anti national? Curbing the freedom of a fellow compatriot is more anti national, I would say.
The grave realities of Kashmir need to be brought in the spotlight. People should stop thinking of Kashmir only as a tourist destination or a war field; elevate their minds to understand Kashmiris, their sufferings. If there are fake encounters, mass graves, rapes; Kashmiris deserve sympathy if not a moment of thought. Kashmir gets the largest economic aid of all states, yet the state is backward and discontented towards the establishment. Why is that so? Why have Kashmiris become so reactive, could unemployment be a reason?Yet, why do we see a high voter turnout in the state, in any of the elections? Does that mean that an average Kashmiri has more affinity towards Indians as compared with the separatists? Why are hoards of people seen rallying to relieve the state from AFSPA. Why is it so bad for Kashmiris and important for India. Can there be a common middle ground? These are the things which could've been debated by the students of the University, and who knows, solution might have popped up and the sympathy would have been replaced by empowerment. But instead, this foolish opposition portrayed India as a country where highlighting the plight of one of its state was considered to be anti national. That's how tolerant we are.
Are we really living in a practical democracy? I mean, we claim to have freedom of expression, freedom of thought, right to religion, etc. But is there anyone to guard these freedoms? I suppose not.If there were, institutions would not have ever bogged down to such threats. This was surely not the first instance where an institution had put forth a weak front, the Mumbai University had withdrawn a book from its curriculum after a group of right wing students rallied against it. Institutions are supposed to be the bedrocks of social, political and economic progress; leaving them unguarded does no good. What amazes me is the fact that, we foresee ourselves as a progressive nation without doing away with these regressive "Right Wings"
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