This is to celebrate the anniversary of the launching of our Indian constitution.
There isn’t much to celebrate
Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India said in a speech that this day must be dedicated to paying homage to the soldiers and freedom fighters who died in the struggle
This day must be dedicated to realising the dream of establishing a class-less, co-operative, free and happy society
This is a day of dedication, not celebration, dedication to the upliftment of the poor, the toilers, the thinkers, to make them fully free and happy members of the society
The Indian Constitution is the longest in the world, consisting of 397 articles and 12 schedules, providing single citizenship for the whole of India
I have not read it, and I have not met any other person who has.
59 years ago our leaders had a dream of a progressive, classless, free India.
Tommorow we will all gear up to celebrating the “memory” of the dream. We will go through the moves …. the dream being lost in the pages and pages of the unread Constitution.
Already it is clear that the celebration will be muted. As if Mumbai attacks were not enough, the enemies of democracy are once again rearing their ugly head. News reports are telling of terrorists that were killed in Delhi ……………..
The entire circus of us pointing fingers at Pakistan and them denying will begin again.
The point is Pakistan can not control the Taliban – they have lost Swat Valley to the Taliban, and fundamentalism is taking over their country …..
We have the second largest Muslim population in the world. This is very deadly for us and our way of life. Our forefathers valued Equality, Justice and Liberty and made them the pillars on which our country stands. It is for us to decide whether we will just let them get musty in the unread pages of our Constitution or shall we take a stand.
We must bring our alienated Indian Muslims into the mainstream, join hands with them and together we must fight so that fundamentalism does not take root into our country. We must take a stand against Hindu fundamentalism and ensure that they dont hijack our Constitution. I am glad the Sadhvi and her cohorts were convicted. It was a telling message against Hindu fundamentalism.
I am glad these goons have been arrested, but why did the Mangaloreans allow this lunacy to flourish? Is this not Hindu Talibanism? Do they think that they are Rama and have the right to take Agni Pariksha of women? They call themselves “Shri Rama Sena”. Painful
59 years ……., and women can get beaten and terrorised because they did not fit into a pre-concieved idiotic repressive ideal in the minds of some perverted men ……
59 years and we are still not safe in our country
Weaving a Web 
59 years ……., and women can get beaten and terrorised because they did not fit into a pre-concieved idiotic repressive ideal in the minds of some perverted men …… Ritu this Sri Ram Sena put a pause to what I wanted to write about our Constitution on 26th Jan … but actually it should only strengthen our resolve.
like you say, Our forefathers valued Equality, Justice and Liberty and made them the pillars on which our country stands. It is for us to decide whether we will just let them get musty in the unread pages of our Constitution or shall we take a stand.
This isn’t a very cheerful 26th January …
These are difficult times ……
Hey, Ritu. As far as reading the Constitution goes… I have read it, mainly because I’m a student of the law. Yes our forefather envisioned a lot for us. But all that was thought by very idealistic people.
They probably assumed that the spirit of progress and nationalism will carry through the generations. Sadly it was not so…
This is our tragedy – the visionary and progressive spirit died with the visionaries.
what was appalling was quite a few number of people were just standing there witnessing all the women bashing
Barbaric and bizarre
Mumbai is very close to my heart. I toiled away for the first five years of my career in that city. I was in sales with daily 6 sales calls made mandatory by my boss. So I had passes for all the three lines and experienced the city the only way it can be. Through the locals. The city has shaped my personality and what I am today is because of those years.
I have thought very deeply about the attacks. You see, there is no silver bullet that would solve this problem of Muslim or Hindu terror. I think the only way it will improve is the changing attitudes of the terrorists. This generation of hatred spewing leaders needs to die. And perhaps we will have a situation that more educated leaders would take their place. But it can take anything between 50 to 100 years. Till then we have to endure. Look at the IRA in Ireland. They raged a battle most brutal and relentless for more than 100 years. But now their leadership has accepted that those means were fruitless and have moved on. There is peace now.
What we can do is strengthen the deterrents. Improve security. Tighten the borders. Put diplomatic pressures and hope that the number of deaths is as less as possible. As Rahul Gandhi said, every Indian’s life is worth fighting for.
Vande Mataram
Rohit
I agree Rohit
Yea… I agree, but it’s just too idealistic sometimes…
I remember whenever India played Pakistan in cricket – most of the Kashmiri Muslims who lived in my friend’s neighborhood supported Pakistan and the few who didn’t would watch the game at my friend’s place…
My question is – if we can’t unite against a game of cricket, how well can we unite in fighting terrorism?
Whatever name you give it – Hindu extremists, Muslim fundamentalists etc – its all terrorism. whether someone else comes and blasts our cities or our very own people molest others, it’s terrorism and it needs to be controlled and stopped…
Its been 59 years since India became a Republic State, it’s high time we got our act together as a nation…
Yes Pixie, the spirit of nationalism has been diluted, and this has led to all these sad things
Happy Republic Day!
Excellent post, Ritu. You’ve summed up the events of pre-26th and 26th brilliantly.
The Sri Ram Sena thing was a complete shocker. It’s great to hear that they have been arrested.
Happy Republic Day.
WTF IS SRI RAM SENA????? Who gave them the right?
Well said Ritu. Everyday, there’s something I see, read or hear that makes me ashamed of being an Indian.
We’re heading into the sewers.
Quirky Indian
Yes we are ……
all this just makes me sigh. 😐
Yeah
amazing post as usual ritu..and I second every word!
Wish it were not true
Many cases we see that when there is any form of crime against women, there are usually a bunch of people who form silent spectators. When there is a brawl between men, then they try to interfere or at least take sides.
Its a concept which I have failed to understand. Why just stand and watch. At least just call attention! Maybe there are many more things which cause these reactions.
A very astute observation Aathira – I wonder why this is so?
“59 years ……., and women can get beaten and terrorised because they did not fit into a pre-concieved idiotic repressive ideal in the minds of some perverted men …”
Makes me fume in impotent rage.
Me too, Shail, me too
Just as they all say, a terrorist has no religion… but any religion may be “modified” suitable to bring forth “a cause”…
And some publicity for hooligans
Outrageous.
I’ve blogrolled you, hope that’s okay.
Thanks my dear. Love your name DewdropDream is so poetic
Very well said, Ritu. Our poor Constitution is happily ignored by so many. The day rioters and destroyers of public property are arrested on the spot and not released on bail is the day things may look up. And the so-called moral brigade need to be given lessons on our Constitution too.
I totally agree
The Constitution is indeed an outstanding document. We must work hard to make Indians more aware of the Constitution and their rights.
A note though, I dont think we need to read the entire constitution just the basic parts on rights and duties. A lot of it is the technical stuff relating to the states and administration.
People should read the constitution – at least to find out if it is written that we can barge into pubs and call women chilling out with families and friends whores, slap them and pull their hair
Ritu, the happenings in India are indeed sad and I just hope that these goons are punsihed and not just let go as it happens mostly. I still await the day when we are truly independent.
I agree
Hey there,
Chanced to stumble across your blog while I was trawling the net for interesting reads…And I found your interesting blog.
Sometime back, I got this shiny silver trophy which I would like to award to you for your interesting blog.
http://3madmoggies.blogspot.com/2009/01/milestone-100-thank-yous.html
I know this must seem strange comming from a rank stranger but I do hope you will accept this token of appreciation and visit us to pick your Award…
Cheers
The Mad Moggies
http://www.3madmoggies.blogspot.com
Thank you. That is sweet of you
Yes being females, we are never safe in our own city and country!! Cos we have government parties which supports such activities of goondagiri!!
These guys are criminals. It would serve them right if women decided to get violent and retaliate
And yet, the uproar over the incident will be published in Delhi Times/HT City and then soon pushed out of the paper. We’ll have one we the people with women activists and ngo’s and a big fight types and if it gets semi-serious, someone will take out a candle lit march and then in another two months, they’ll be back attacking a different city, a different pub.
Even me, I’ll forget it in another two days… We never do something about it. We say our two pieces and then forget it. Its the bloody system! (which means its all of us!)
We are so lethargic, that we soon subside
Did you catch the conversation at IHM’s blog around this?
And I see you haven’t picked up your award yet…
I did! Thanks 😀
midnight yesterday my brother found a man beating his wife on the road…with difficulty he got the man to stop.
This is India 59 no 60 years after independence…
Really sad …..
You got me thinking on, “you have not met someone who has read it”. But then reading it is not necessary at all.
we are not going to follow it anyway. We are too busy following our own religious books to recall that we were labelled Secular in this very constitution.
This is bang on target! You are so right Manpreet