A usual glorification of the army goes like this: that standing on night duty at borders, soldiers protect the Indians sleeping cozily at their homes.
That glorification is now shared by police: that patrolling on roads during lockdown/curfew police protects Indians shielded in their homes from deadly coronavirus. Such glorification is meant to prepare ‘us’ not to resent or speak against police excesses if any.
Imparting of such a ‘holy status’ (out of our fear) to police led even democrats to jump in favor of police in the Patiala Nihang case. Using that incident police went for all fanciful arrests and secured propaganda mileage as ‘saviors’.
Are the citizens entitled to some rights or still subjects at the mercy of the British type masters?
Dr. Ambedkar sounded correct as he told BBC in 1953 that with the least chance of removing social and economic inequality, the political top-dressing in India will not bring about a real democracy except a periodic change of rulers through managed elections.
Otherwise, the glorification of rulers is meant to inculcating ‘fear’ among the ruled. Such stalking ‘fear’ enters our self and makes us coward individually. So cowards make up for their ‘fear’ by indulging in ‘mob frenzy and lynching’. That is why lynching is frequently happening in India.
Latest on Sunday, three Adivasis were lynched in the Palghar area in Maharashtra. Fear hyped by the media and officials that Tablighis are spreading corona led to attack on Muslims and restricting of Muslim vendors from entering residential areas and refusal by hospitals to entertain ailing Muslims.
Could the use of ‘fear’ as an instrument for consolidating the Hindu majority produce a “mentally-sound Nation”?
How can the relationship between any state and the Nation be based on a claim of absolute power as evidenced by gross human rights violations, no matter how glorified?
Glorification of violance, more aptly, glorification of use of force and simultaneously neglecting the reason,compassion, simplicity, non-violance and love has been characteristics of pre-modern, agrarian and feudalistic society. There are large no. of examples available:
1.) Bhagat Singh, who was avid reader, people are content with projecting him symbol of force with “pistol” in hand
2.) Chak lo revolver raflan Bai kabza laina hai, Dabb Ch Glock rakhda, Sada chalda e dhakka asi tan karde– all these kind of songs are becoming driving force for youngsters
3.) The so called gangster culture in Punjabi youth which they even proudly boast in foreign countries also
4.) Sikhs, and also Punjabis of all religions, although have produced wonderful scientists, economists, philosophers,writers, actors and social, political & religious leaders, but we ignore that and we are still perpetuating the outdated notions of racial theories such as that we are a “martial” race.
4.) The culture of “gal gal the talwar/bandook chkna”
5.) Honour killings in the names of so called “ankhan”
6.) Confusing women empowerment with the notions of women with masculine outlook towards acceptance of violance
These kind of regression is observed not only in Punjab, but also in the other parts of India. In fact with the emergence of social media platforms, such less informed views, opinion and outlook have found wider audience globally and has brought such thinkers, speakers and believers together.
So result is today significant no. people in all religions, social institutions, states and countries are attracted by the glorification of violance, use of force, and all the wrong notions of being a “man.”
Emancipation from such circumstances requires that people should rise above the race, religion, caste, sex, ethnicity and other such classifications to reject the violance across the spectrum. Integrity in thoughts, words and actions is prerequisite in developing universal standards of our response to violence. Putting simply, our response to violence shall not be determined by the identity of perpetrator (Violence committed by “ours” and ” theirs” shall not be treated differently). In 21st century, we must behave maturely to constitute a civilized, egalitarian, pluralistic and progressive society which is governed by rule of law, reason, compassion and love; not by arbitrary whims and fancies of those who are in position of social, political and religious power.