The pen was for sure mightier than the sword, until audio visual media arrived that is. The power of this audio visual media is more patent now than ever before, especially in India, whether it were the high profile murder cases or chasing those accused of the reprehensible anti-Sikh riots. The catalyst for the latter being a shoe, the power of which was, to my knowledge, first highlighted by Amitabh Bachchan in Suhaag. But that was a slipper I think.
The Congress leadership, including the Prime Minister, having apologised many times over went on to err in judgement by fielding two who have long been accused of perpetrating the riots. Did they forget the old adage - "perception is reality"? Or are they oblivious to the pain so many have carried over so many years while most of the perpetrators roam around scot free. Maybe, maybe not. A welcome step, however, that they have corrected that error. But that's not the issue.
The issue is whether the moral high ground is important in politics or not.
Hate speeches are in fad today. They are no longer limited to religion but stretch even to threatening the Indian state to garner a few votes. Inaction against such is what needs to change.
Onus, as much on people who need to stop falling prey to a herd mentality, is also on the "mightier than the pen" media. Media needs to ensure that when they play such speeches over and over again, instead of pandering to people, it does so in a manner that the message goes out that such people are unacceptable to be representatives.
This has to be the media's responsibility till such time that the political stage is declared out of bounds of not just those who have been convicted by a court of law but also those who have been guilty, or perceived to be guilty even of moral turpitude.
As for the self styled torch bearers of Indian culture or any others who play on the political stage, they need to draw a leaf out of Ramayana. Even Sita decided to leave the kingdom because it is a King's duty to be on the moral high ground - always, at any cost. This, however, could be just my interpretation.
All this until the people start booting the deviant out of power using the vote and not the boot.
The Congress leadership, including the Prime Minister, having apologised many times over went on to err in judgement by fielding two who have long been accused of perpetrating the riots. Did they forget the old adage - "perception is reality"? Or are they oblivious to the pain so many have carried over so many years while most of the perpetrators roam around scot free. Maybe, maybe not. A welcome step, however, that they have corrected that error. But that's not the issue.
The issue is whether the moral high ground is important in politics or not.
Hate speeches are in fad today. They are no longer limited to religion but stretch even to threatening the Indian state to garner a few votes. Inaction against such is what needs to change.
Onus, as much on people who need to stop falling prey to a herd mentality, is also on the "mightier than the pen" media. Media needs to ensure that when they play such speeches over and over again, instead of pandering to people, it does so in a manner that the message goes out that such people are unacceptable to be representatives.
This has to be the media's responsibility till such time that the political stage is declared out of bounds of not just those who have been convicted by a court of law but also those who have been guilty, or perceived to be guilty even of moral turpitude.
As for the self styled torch bearers of Indian culture or any others who play on the political stage, they need to draw a leaf out of Ramayana. Even Sita decided to leave the kingdom because it is a King's duty to be on the moral high ground - always, at any cost. This, however, could be just my interpretation.
All this until the people start booting the deviant out of power using the vote and not the boot.
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