September 25, 2005

As the stomach turns

There's a lot of stomach-turning news that comes along. Possibly the most stomach-turning -- if that's possible -- is the way women are regularly stripped and paraded naked, to "punish" them for various "crimes". Here's only the latest of these.

This time, as far as I can tell, the "crime" was that that the husbands of these women "refused to wash the feet of baratis during a marriage ceremony." I can't tell if this washing was some apparently "traditional" ceremony to be performed by these men. Though if it was, I'm glad somebody decided to resist doing it.

But whatever it is, the way these women were treated was -- no other word for it -- stomach-turning. Yet I finished reading this report with both a sense of deja vu and the full knowledge that in the next few days, I'll find another report like it -- from somewhere else in my Security Council-ready country.

Terrorism: you see, it's not just what shadowy al-Qaeda and Lashkar types do. It's also what ordinary Indians do. And my feeling is, what those ordinary Indians do terrorises far more people, far oftener, than anything the shadowy types do.

Onward to more stomach-turning.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

True.

Anonymous said...

Please post the contents. There seems to be some problem accessing the news item

wise donkey said...

only if the Islamic Terrorists do it, will it make news,
and only if they do it to non-islamic women, will it be an outrage and yeah the best response to an outrage is to reply with a riot.

i couldnt access the contents, but should the gory detail, make a difference, no.

the social hypocrisy is deplorable to say the least

Anonymous said...

It's also what ordinary Indians do. And my feeling is, what those ordinary Indians do terrorises far more people, far oftener, than anything the shadowy types do.

The Laskar or Al Queda types disappearing after the crime and our IAS and IPS officials being clueless as usual is perfectly understandable. But with these 'ordinary terrorising Indians' what's preventing our justice/judiciary from throwing these idiots behind bars?

Only reason I can think of is that our guardians of law/order (read babus like j b d'souza types) are willing to turn a blind eye in exchange of a few bucks or some favors.

BTW, Dilip, how's J B D'Souza's construction business with ex-MP Mrinal Gore coming along? "No bidding" contracts after the deluge and demolition must be keeping him very busy?

Anonymous said...

I'll find another report like it -- from somewhere else in my Security Council-ready country.


Given the shoddyhuman rights record we've observed for these current security council member nations, India's more than ready, don't you think?

sanjay said...

If we were to get our facts straight, then nothing needs to turn.

The local tradition is to pay the barbers money (as in INR) for the ceremonial washing of the feet of the visiting baraatis. This is a traditional gesture of respect towards the groom, his family & their guests.

It appears that the barbers took the money and then declined to honour their side of the contract at the last minute.

wise donkey said...

nikhil,
i agree with u on the Kashmir situation and i didnt mean to be insensitive.

i was thinkin more about the USA and Al Qaeda obsession of the media, and the lack of attention to issues like hunger, maternal mortality rate , sanitation and issues like that.

to highlight it more because of a religion is as worse as hiding it more because of a religion.