Let’s change the Social Order!
No, I am not out to kick up some revolution, or even, to do things those would unsettle lives of my close ones. But, yes these thoughts have occurred to me, just because I seem to acknowledge that, well, there are other people also, who, think a change is definitely necessary. I am not talking about those, who file PILs incessantly, so that there be could social upheavals, no, I mean I do not have, nothing against, Pratibha Naithanis, even, Mahesh Bhatts also. I thought about those, who just go on doing their jobs and never come in the public eye. As ullas mentioned in his blog, the man who planted trees on the roadside, baba amte, pandurang shastri aathavle, and many others like them.
This thought about change, has kept me busy for a while. And I have arrived to a conclusion that, nothing on this earth seems to be perfect. No government, no judiciary, no religion, no office nothing. And there are careful monitors over the factors those would ensue any kind of change. For example, Rang De Basanti, just a week before its release, it kicks up a storm, over the subject matter it has got. As it is famous now, still I would like to quote, a character in the film, a fighter pilot, dies in a MIG21 air crash, and thus his knowledgeable friends, tend to ask a few questions, but they are suppressed. Similarly, in order to see whether there was anything objectionable in the movie, MOD, all force chiefs, and Pranab Mukherjee watched the movie, and suggested few changes. That means there’s no kind of creative freedom either. And what’s there to shy away from the facts. Facts and agonies of those families who have lost their bread earners in such foolishly tragic accidents! Going by the numbers of such ill fated crashes it is very obvious that these mighty machines must be outdated or ill maintained, then why those hard working pilots are being sacrificed. Obviously MOD is at fault in this case. This film as apparent from the promos is about “change”. I am expecting a lot from the movie, frankly. I wish this movie works well, but seeing past trends, meaningful cinema in India has few takers.
Another thing, that I felt was even when there were revolutions, it was not like a sea change would have occurred overnight. Indian independence was also achieved slowly over so many years. Though I don’t know how it was with Marx in his times. As far as my mental capacity permits, revolution for me occurs really, only when the mindsets of people affected changes. It pains me when I realize that there are hardly any people who want change. Most of us are content with the ways we live and go to sleep. Earning a square meal is the biggest priority for most of us. For me, I know one thing for sure, had I been living in Assam or some naxalite pocket, I think, I would have turned into one of them!
We faced worst floods of our lives in June last year. When no corporator turned after the waters receded for relief operations, so called society administrators were enraged and fuming and said things like, “let them come asking for votes, we will break their limbs”. Last month, municipal elections were held peacefully, with “Bhaaratiya janata party” representatives winning all over, no reports of violence occurred in gujarati newspapers in Baroda. We are just loud motor mouths and when it comes to real action, the tails get tucked inside. When a rickshaw wallah overcharges we are scared not to ask him, because “pandu’ gets a “hafta” from him. And who has got the time after all.
This all may sound vague, but if we are talking about some kind of a change then this all will have to go away. Indian Express, my staple read, has interviews of foreign students, visitors in Mumbai, about what they like or hate, food preferences, etc. On being asked to one such person, what was a common Indian quote that she uses, guess what was it,“Sab Chalta Hain, Yaar”. Guess how deep Indian indifference is rooted?? Or is it that I am reading too much in these mere words of a very chilled out expression?? Please give me an answer!