Friday, January 23, 2009

Long Live The Mob!

There are times when I am ashamed of being a Indian.
And then, there are times when I am embarrassed to be a woman.
But both at the same time?
That happens only once in an azure blue moon....Like this morning, when I chanced to read the story of
young Saba Najam.
Saba Najam, a 20-something Pakistani student was roughed up in a Mumbai mall last week, only because she dared sport a tattoo in Urdu which thanked the Good Lord above.
Before you ask....No, this was not the handiwork of Raj Thackarey's goons. Nor was it a mob of rabid men using religion to crush a woman. This, believe it or not people, was a case of women using religion to break the spirit of one of their own.
And why?
Not because religious sentiments were actually wounded. I suspect it had everything to do with an over-possessive mommy who needed to vent her blind fury at the object her dearest sonny boy desired!!!
How else can we explain the alacrity with which Shabana Talukdar responded to her son's complaints about a brazen hussy in the mall who, heaven forbid, actually dared to have ‘Shukr Alham Du Lillah’[Thank you, God’] inscribed on her back?
Now, did mommy stop to ask her darling boy just what he was doing hanging around in the mall, scrutinising the figures of strange women?
No, she did not.
Did she try educating her son about living and letting others live?
Again, the answer is a resounding no.
But instead, the lady and her cronies marched over to the mall and proceeded to beat up a girl who was young enough to be her daughter!!!
Did anyone object? NO!!!
The mall authorities passed the matter over to a local police station where, despite her profuse apologies, young Saba was forced to submit a statement promising to have the tattoo removed within 3 days!!!
Ironic isn't it?
All the more so, when one considers the admission of the police inspector that" “There was nothing objectionable about the tattoo and there are no legal provisions under which we could have booked her. But since the group of people were agitated we asked Saba to give her statement in writing.”
The news report shamed me...As did some of the reader comments which showed no sympathy for the victim!!!!
What was Saba being penalised for?
Her nationality? That she dared assume ownership of her own body and embellished it as she deemed fit? Or was it because she had inadvertently attracted lust from a vicious mall rat?
All three, I suspect....Going by the responses of the people concerned.
Everyone - the whining pansy, his rabid mother & her cohorts, the by-standers, the authorities & even the media - has conveniently turned a blind eye to the real truth...The truth that this is not a legitimate case of religious impropriety or hurt sentiments, but one of assault on an innocent girl.
Saba Najam has returned to Lahore...

Riyaz Ahmed Talukdar says he is happy she is gone...
His mother must be gloating in glee...
Viva La Mob Power!!!

9 comments:

  1. Intolerance, yet again! Be it man or woman, of any country or religion, intolerance breeds ills of many hues, doesn't it?

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  2. God! Did this really happen? Where does this mindless brutality stem from? And no action was taken on those people who actually roughed up the girl?

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  3. Remember, It's a JUNGLE out there............. :-(

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  4. Roops, This is a real incident. The Link will lead you to the actual story in the Mumbai mirror which incidentally was the only publication to mention it!!!!
    No-one acted...No-one [ including the Barkha Dutts of India] spoke up...No-one did anything!!!
    And to think we criticise the Taliban...Just how much better are we? And I am not just talking about the ones who beat up this girl but even the ones who stayed quiet and tried to appease the mob!!!
    Yes Prasanna, it is a jungle out there...I am almost always optimistic, hoping that the good in man will prevail. But incidents like these are demoralising!!!
    :(

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  5. Yeah Ganga, intolerance is the bane of our existence and I suspect, it will be the ruin of mankind!!!

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  6. Roops, This is a real incident. The Link will lead you to the actual story in the Mumbai mirror which incidentally was the only publication to mention it!!!!
    No-one acted...No-one [ including the Barkha Dutts of India] spoke up...No-one did anything!!!
    And to think we criticise the Taliban...Just how much better are we? And I am not just talking about the ones who beat up this girl but even the ones who stayed quiet and tried to appease the mob!!!
    Yes Prasanna, it is a jungle out there...I am almost always optimistic, hoping that the good in man will prevail. But incidents like these are demoralising!!!
    :(

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  7. Well this certainly feel ashamed on both counts. In addition it makes me feel sad too.

    To tell you the truth, the way things are unfolding in many parts of our country the thought that we are moving towards Talibinisation keeps worrying me.

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  8. Did you see today's news from Mangalore? It's in continuation with this discussions. Jungle rule!! If you haven't , check out now. Two girls were beaten up for going to a pub!!!??? by some so called protectors of culture shri ram sena.

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  9. Yes, how can one not know about it? The media just can't stop talking about it, can they???
    Wonder where the Barkha Dutts and Arnab Goswamis of India were when the Pakistani girl was roughed up?

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