through the day.
From thrashing AIB over a dog filter
to abusing an American for solving the
JEE paper. From Kiku Sharda being
sent to jail over a mimicry to Shah Rukh
Khan shamed for his way of sitting on
train birth. From banning an award win-
ning film, ‘Liptick Under My Burkha’ for
being “too lady oriented” to the nation-
wide uproar over the Ranveer-Arjun
roast. And how can we forget the drama
over the alleged comment of Evan
Spiegel calling India poor. The people
of our country not only abused the CEO
but also his fiancé who had no part in
this whole fiasco. Later, it was confirmed
that no such comment was made by him
but how many of these people came for-
ward and apologised? None. This list is
endless. Ah, and the art of writing open
letters on every controversial comment
of a celebrity. But fearing to support
Gurmehar Kaur when she was abused
and threatened by strangers. Shocking?
Surprising? Or just something that hap-
pens everyday.
We see a culture of taking offence on
behalf of the other person, develop-
ing. This is something that I will never
understand. If the person in question
doesn’t have any issues we see other
gangs coming forward and making it an
issue. Don’t we all have more important
things to focus on? More important is-
sues? Maybe rapes, murders, violence or
the economic scenario of the country?
Or is it the very fact that we are not able
to do anything at all about these issues,
so we just gang up on comedians and
artists and when their art is humiliated
and destroyed we get the feeling of hav-
ing accomplished something. Maybe it’s
that, maybe it’s not.
Don’t get me wrong. I know some times
things can go too far. Insults can dam-
age a person’s reputation and sentiments
can be hurt. I know there are situations
where speaking up is vital to bring a
change. I wholly support that but let us
not confuse online and offline bashing
with constructive criticism.
“ Is sending people to
jail for making jokes or
sometimes expressing
their opinions really the
solution?”
Its almost like we are going back in
time. And we don’t want that, do we?
Sometime ago I saw a video on Face-
book using over exaggeration to explain
the current highly touchy situation of
our country, I laughed it off but now I
fear, what if that’s what we are heading
towards? If I say, we should stop before
it becomes hard to differentiate between
India and North Korea, I will be made
fun of. I will be called crazy and be told
to feel lucky that I am born in this na-
tion. But the problem is, I do feel lucky
and I want to keep feeling lucky and not
helpless as things that seem little right
now pile on, and its too late.
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