Twenty- five Seven

Yeda ban ke peda

March 25, 2013
This very strange sounding title in Bambaiya – the bastardized Hindi that is the official language of my city that is neither Hindi nor Marathi which totally captures the spirit of this city – cheeky and irreverent – loses its flavour when translated into plain English. However, in simple English it means a Smart Fool.

The smart fool is essentially the person who acts the bumbling idiot, who manages to get his way by his universally appealing “guileless” charm.

The heated arguments, TV debates and media hype about “pardoning” Sanjay Dutt that have been raging this past week have firmed my belief that it is truly the idiot or lovable fool who gets away with murder. While forgiveness and justice tempered with mercy are laudable, surely there should also be some correlation between action and punishment?

Honestly, the way people are clamouring for Sanjay to be pardoned makes me question the values and beliefs I was brought up with. My old beliefs and values no longer hold good in today’s world where more and more horrendous crimes are being pardoned or forgiven with the excuse that the perpetrator was “unaware” of what he was doing.

The new mantras for new age children should no longer be as you sow so you reap
but
- Ask and you shall be forgiven.
- Fools always win
- Cheaters always prosper
- Crime always pays
- Mothers know nothing at all
Societies have never been static having been influenced by interacting cultures and different ideals. But it is strange how time honoured codes of behaviour like honesty, integrity, truth and justice have changed to accommodate declining mores and values. Is this the natural outcome of a more advanced technological society constantly bombarded by techno bytes?

While I do not want to go back to the riverside to wash my clothes or forage in the jungle for firewood to cook my meal, I definitely miss the good old days when a man was known by the company he kept and honest day’s work ensured a good night’s sleep!
Crime and Punishment

March 23, 2013
Ever since Sanjay Dutt has been sentenced to jail for a 5 year tern our TV anchors have been hosting debates on whether he should be pardoned or not.

Many people feel that Sanjay Dutt should be pardoned because
- The case is 20 years old and he has already “suffered” the fear of being arrested any time
- During the last 20 years he has had to ask for Court permission any time he wanted to travel abroad
- He has already spent 2 years in jail
- He is not convicted of being a terrorist – only of holding weapons
- He had not intended to misuse the weapons
- He has since his jail term been an exemplary citizen
- He was a misguided youth who didn’t know the antecedents or intention of the people he was keeping company with
- His parents have been good citizens and known social workers
- He has spread the message of Gandhi through his film “Munnabhai“
- He is married with three young children and this will upset his family
Many people feel Sanjay Dutt shouldn’t be pardoned because:
- A 33 year old is no Spring Chick and should be fully aware of the consequences of his action
- No one keeps AK 47s in his house just for fun. Especially in a country which requires a gun licence and bearing fire arms is a cognizable offence
- Sanjay Dutt is a celebrity but he is still accused of an offence and should be treated like any other ordinary citizen
Crime & Punishment are concepts that have many areas of grey. Offences in the past like drinking have now become legal. Similarly with changing social mores child marriage has become illegal while widow marriage is allowed. In our society abortions are legal while in others they are not. So morality, crime and punishment are entirely societal and subjective.

Who then is liable to punishment and who should go off scot free?
If a man is responsible for his actions and is willing to take the credit for his success, shouldn’t he also be able to take the punishment for his wrong doing?
If an 18 year old is fit enough to vote and get married is a 30 year old too young to know the error of his ways?

Personally speaking it was wrong of Sanjay Dutt to keep guns in his house. He was running around with the wrong crowd. He was a spoilt brat.

He may have become a successful film star but that does not exonerate him from his crime and if the court has deemed it fit that he got to jail he should.

Consider the following Jailable offences in India :
- The simple act of pulling the chain of a running train can land you in jail for 3 months
- Exploiting tribals from the Andamans can land you in jail for upto 7 years
- A Facebook “like” can land you in jail
- Disturbing a gathering engaged in religious worship can get you into jail for a year
- Spreading false rumours with the intention to disturb peace can get you into jail for upto 3 years
These are just some of the offences that are recognised as punishable. If possessing an illegal firearm is a punishable offence, why should Sanjay Dutt not get justice?
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Towers of Gold

March 22, 2013

http://skyley.blogspot.in/Last evening as the sun went down a flash of light caught my eye. I went behind and found my city bathed in a golden glow of dying sun, a sign of hope as thoughts of sadness crossed my mind. At the very moment that I was clicking these photos, a friend of mine was holding a prayer meeting for the soul of her young son who had passed away in a fatal accident.

There was a time when we were close, meeting each other every other day. But that was really a long time ago when both our girls were very little. Today both the girls have grown up as have we and somewhere along the way we lost touch. So while it is customary to offer condolences to the bereaved family, I felt that at times like this when death comes so unexpectedly and cruelly to fell a young man in his prime, my attending the prayer meeting would be akin to gawking. So I preferred to offer my prayers and sympathy in spirit rather than in person.

I pray his soul rests in peace and his family can find the strength to carry on.

Each passing day will be filled with pain, each moment will remind them of his passing on…….

They will remember him in all they see, they feel they touch and think of what he might have said or done…….

He was a spark that spread the light, a tower of gold ,
snuffed out before he could really shine on….

My favourite towers bathed in golden sunlight