Dr. Dabholkar’s war was non-violent. But the sharpness of his words, thoughts and deeds were so supremely powerful and unbearable as to have invoked the despicable brutality that martyred him. His conviction and articulation made most politicians uncomfortable. Unlike many other intellectuals, Doctor was also an activist. He had the vision and capability to lead a grassroots-level mass movement. Still with all these credits, his movement was restricted to lakhs, not crores. His two decade-long call could not gather the popular momentum that Anna Hazare managed in a few months. Why ? Because, Dr. Dabholkar’s campaign against superstition and inhuman rituals needed a certain level of intellectual introspection. It compelled us to check our position on an abstract concept like faith as opposed to concrete issues like corruption and rape. By ourselves, we do not think there is darkness in our beliefs and thoughts that need to be eradicated. We are just not used to such intellectual abstraction and lack the discipline to challenge our own ‘faith’. Are we ready to accept that religion and practicing rituals are proving to be our cumulative catharsis? If we do not find anything objectionable in scientists like Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam or icons like Sachin Tendulkar visiting a “miracle man”, why should we expect the media to engage in an enlightened debate on the bill proposed by Dr. Dabholkar? Sorry Dr. Dabholkar, we failed you! We are ashamed that we may fail to find your assassins! We are ashamed that we are lethargic bystanders of the present!
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 13:49:20 +0000
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