My “omg” moment with a mix of wonder, amazement and relief came in September of last year.
Wonder because we’d never seen anything in India like this before. Amazed at the promise it brought for the motherland. Relief that it was oh so so so long due!
I’m speaking about last year’s verdict on the Big Amma of Tamilnadu (thank you for asking!). Is it possible that our motherland was standing at the threshold of a new age?
The verdict on Salman Khan’s hit and run case stirred similar feelings of awe. However, one look at the media and it dawned on me that was me being plain silly. While the court convicted him, it seemed like there was a competition to say the stupidest thing among celebrities. One would have thought that victim bashing was impossible in this verdict, but some people managed it. Fair to say that celebrities outdid themselves; with some of them blaming it on the poor victims. One really wise singer went as far as to call the victims “dogs” for sleeping on the pavement.
Some of the stars appeared on media bearing testimony to Salman Khan’s bigheartedness. With his easy charm, oh so beautiful boyish face and eight packs, he may have set many a heart aflutter; including mine; so, maybe that makes it okay for him to run over people? Um, Just thinking out aloud. Last I checked; rules had not changed. You commit a crime, you pay for it.
I mean, I get it that he is really good looking; is loved and admired across the board, and frankly I too feel wee bit bad, but the fact is that his recklessness behind the wheel has cost a life and has changed some lives forever.
A few questions for us all to ponder as society – How come that lives do not matter anymore.
How did we have come to form a society where loss of poor lives no longer deserves respect?
Hundreds of poor people die in India everyday due to various reasons but the only ones that create any stir, are those of the rich and famous or distinguished or sensational.
About time for him to man up and be graceful about his crime. Touting about being human is fine and dandy but practicing it is one hundred percent better. But then, who am I to say anything? What do I know? “Wadde Log, Waddiyan Gallan”!! He knows as well as anyone else, that public will get short term memory loss again and continue being human.
With Salman Khan being granted bail, his new film promos already on air; his fans don’t seem to get enough of him. Next time a rich brat gets behind the wheel drunk it would be life as usual. Also, with Karnataka High Court’s “Landmark” new judgement on Jayalalitha’s case and no less than our Prime Minister congratulating Amma on her acquittal, it was proved once again that our motherland is incredible India! Here, ladies and gentlemen; not much is changing, so don’t keep your hopes high.
Shalini Bali Gupta
Mississauga
The post Verdict Was On Us appeared first on Weekly Voice - The Newspaper for South Asians in GTA.