Two years back, on a January evening, while coming from
Kanha National Park I stopped at Madla(MP) and spent a full night in that
small town surrounded on three sides by Narmada River. Madla was the capital of
many dynasties in the past. It is believed that, this place (then known as
Mahishmati) served as venue for the most famous debate of Adi Sankara (with
Mandana Mishra).
Serious debates shook the floor of assembly while drafting constitution,
discussions on amendments etc. Members supported or opposed other’s line of
thinking. We also heard about the serious splits like Moderates vs Extremists
(during the days of Tilak), Gandhi vs Ambedkar (during Round Table conferences),
Gandhi vs Bose (especially when Bose became the president of INC) etc. during independence
movement.
Mythology itself is stuffed with serious arguments. Gargi challenged
Yajnavalkya on questions related to soul so on and so forth. None of these
ended in violent riots or killed people.
In recent times, challenging opinions of living or historical
figures (or their ideas) are considered as biggest crime. It was not long ago a
cartoon on Ambedkar by Shankar (original cartoon was drawn some half a century
back when Ambedkar was alive) created a big row.
Are we slowly losing our reasoning capability and power to
think logically? How can you explain the violence popping up across India?
Someone posted something on Facebook and one guy got killed in Pune. I really
doubt those killers even read that particular Facebook post. Neighbors who were
on good terms, suddenly become enemies and start running for other’s head because
somewhere someone told something.
Delhi, Gujrat, Marad, Tripura, Mau, Asom, Musafarnagar, Moradabad,
Saharanpur… the list is endless. How many more riots we Indians have to witness,
to understand, blood gushing out of each victims’ body are red in colour? Pain
or bullets doesn’t recognize or spare Hindu’s, Muslim’s, Christian’s or Sikhs? How
come an eve teasing or a Facebook post metamorphose in to religious riots? How come
an accident involving a couple of people can start riots in a big town? Now-a-days
a random fight between two people over a trivial matter can lead to big riots
where hundreds can die!!! Pathetic!!!
Words like difference in opinion, arguments, debate, logic,
reasoning etc are only for competitive exams and business only not to use in
daily life?
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