In The Name Of Religion, Culture, And Crap

I live in East Delhi, close to a naala, and there’s nothing to hide about that fact. That naala is apparently some tributary of a river, probably Yamuna. Which, in turn, is a site for some religious fanatics to celebrate the Chhath Puja around. By celebration I mean, them being a menace, blocking roads, playing music till late at night, night duty for policemen, riding around triples on motorcycles helmetless and generally thinking they own the world. All this while not giving a fuck about the world around them and ensuring the ones around them notice their so-called-merriment.

Why are we so afraid of such religious nuts? Why can’t the government, law, policemen, or the general public do something about it? Why do we let these fanatics do as they please, which involves troubling the whole world in the name of religion? How is this atrocity allowed? Why do these people go unpunished when they clearly break all laws known to man? It’s not just killing and raping and drunk driving that’s a crime. But no, we’re a tolerant society, more like a fattu society which dare not touch any ‘sensitive’ issue lest increase the chances of a riot. I only have one word: BANJO!

Take Shiv Sainiks for instance, their leader dies, they shut the whole city down. They own the cops, the politicians, the actors, the bigwigs, the industry, the commerce, you, me, and UP ke bhaiyya Amitabh Bachchan as well. Their spokesperson would come on TV, talk a load of crap on the news, assure that they’re a peaceful unit, and that the world is paying respect themselves. Haven’t we seen enough movies to know that it’s all crap? This sort of politics can’t be happening for real, but, sadly, it is. Meanwhile, us citizens just sit idle complaining or feeling helpless and eventually frustrated about the whole situation. Although a couple of us young unlucky girls get arrested for a wall post on Facebook and for ‘Liking’ it. For heaven’s sake, weren’t Hitler, Osama, Saddam enough?

In the name of democracy, secularism, tolerance, freedom, what we practice is utter crap. A farce, is what our country is becoming, in ways which are not good at all. In those certain respects, it’s getting worse by the day. Appalling are the things that are happening, and shockingly, it’s being carried out by the same people we vote for, same people who are there for our protection. If the system is screwed, who do we go to? Who do we protest against? The cops, who’re already a corrupt bunch of men in uniform who can’t really do much even if they wanted to? The law, where people spend half their lives fighting off a simple case of robbery? Or just sit around India Gate holding a candle light vigil? I say, what this country needs is, a bit of extremism, a bit of idealism, and fanaticism. Fight fire with fire. Go and do a Rang De Basanti and hope the world sees you and takes action.

Unfortunately, everything goes unheard. Even if they listen to you, action is seldom taken. In the rare event that some action is actually taken, nobody follows up. Our victory is celebrated at the first hint of some progress. This can be seen everywhere, in our lives, at our workplace, in schools and colleges and definitely around all the issues plaguing this country. We suffer from this mediocrity, being happy, or at least satisfied with what we have. We’ll dream of a better future but won’t do anything about it. Not saying that we don’t try, there are indeed a lot of screw ups about which we can’t do much. You think we can change the ‘system’? I don’t.

This country needs a radical change. Enough of being ruled by a bunch of dictators disguised as a part of a democratic government. If need be, this country needs a new war of freedom to rid us of these inefficient, dishonest, corrupt Indians who have the power to bring about a change. They need a mutiny? Give it to them. How better are we than how we were when being ruled by a ‘foreign’ country? Just because we can go to a pub with a girl, get a job where we want, wear the clothes our cousins are wearing in the US, does not mean we are truly free. Girls still get beaten up for wearing short clothes, the government offices are still full of people who take undue advantage of their job and harass the common man, and 21 year old girls still get locked up for expressing their opinions on Facebook. Fuck, this freedom. Sab naatak hai saala.

A rant, this is. Useless, I am. Crippled, we are.