The Morcha on Sunday - been pondering about the sudden change in status/heated discussions on various groups, Photographs being circulated by apparent Team A & the other Team , etc
On further prodding, when I asked my friend the agenda for the Morcha I was told the following –
- Speedy Justice for Rape Victim at Khopardi
- Change in Atrocities Act
- Reservation for Maratha Community
This on a group of friends I have known for a better part of the past 20 years! Even I thought for a minute before replying to that message while being politically correct. Why so?
As far as Point 1 & 2 is concerned, I agree 100% and probably would have been more than eager to be part of the Morcha. Many across the board agree and would give their fair bit for this cause. On the other hand, hats off to the organisers for keeping it off hands from Political Circles while at the same time managing to get such a vast turn out from sheer free will. Free Will in today’s time & age would be the virtue seen very rarely.
Point No.3 – Reservation, I am no expert on this subject but it’s about time the Govt woke up and made it not based on Caste, Creed & Religion but logical parameters in today’s age such as Economic Weak Status etc which will give the necessary opportunity to the needy while ensuring we as a society are not split in 100 different ways. Like we already don’t have enough of it in our society that any more needs to be added to it. This has to be done across the board as a standard protocol.
Now the down side: Point in question about people like you, me and our circle of friends and acquaintances. Just to put things in perspective - I have been going to Vaishalli for a better part of my life, precisely more than 20 years. The typical katta being one frequented by people from all walks, caste, creed & religion. Discussing this over dinner last night with my friends yesterday, the apparent “charged” atmosphere on the katta because of the Morcha this Sunday. Why so? I have been friends with them not on their Name_Surname_Caste_Creed_Religion basis but as a person who I call out by his first name – period! Some of them are closer than my extended family and all of a sudden the change in body language and demeanour even though I would like to give them a benefit of doubt that it would not last longer than a week, would definitely have some negative imprint on your mind even between best of friends. These are the consequences we could do without. These are the apparent split, groups, party, clan, etc we could do without. If this does not stop here, should we tell our children that you should only be friends with folks from a particular caste/creed/religion. I am not denying things went bad for some over the past 100 years, does this mean we stay consistent in the part we should actually be thinking of doing away with? If it can happen here, it could happen anywhere.
For me, I’d like things to be on a first name basis and circumstances where we can merge the divide rather than put a wedge in it to add fuel to what has been going on for the past 100 years or so.