“Voluntary” Compulsion? Yes. Of course it was. The HRD couldn’t be politically incorrect about this, hence dilly-dallied around. BJP spokespersons followed suit. But I feel the same “So what?” about this curbing of freedom. I’ll elaborate.
I am 23 now. Let me look back. I was made to go to school. Okay, so it was an experiment for 5 years. I hated it. I wanted to fake a headache, or just drop out and get lost, but I was still made to go to school. Eventually I realized school was actually fun. But there was still stuff that wasn’t. I was made to assemble for morning prayers everyday. Following which, I was made to listen to boring speeches from the Principal/Director. On special occasions, I was forced to watch cultural programs or endless awards being presented, or listen to some dignitary’s speech, singing encomiums meaningless to me. I question things as I get to middle and high school, a little ego forms, a tender heart breaks sometimes. My definition of right and wrong keeps changing; but there’s always the teacher/parent who forces what is, sometimes sternly because of I’m adamant – I cry and rebel, but I accept reluctantly. Eventually make peace with it once it fades from immediate memory. I turn 18, and I swear by liberty and freedom, and that gives me leverage to think I can do whatever I want and no one can stop me. But they did. I rebelled again, and was suppressed again. I turn 20 and realized how foolish I was and (mostly) how right my parents were. I am 23 now, and my parents know they can only advise, not enforce; they worry if I am on the right track, but trust I have the right to decide for myself. I have got my rights, but where were my rights all along? I have been conditioned to think a certain way and now I’m having to unlearn that because I hold some liberal views. But would I have been able to make these decisions back then? Let’s take it a little further. I am depressed, I wish I wasn’t born. I shouldn’t have been. But I was forced into this world. Because it was their wish to have children….
Teachers and parents have always curbed children’s rights. Why? Because they knew what’s best for him/her. Because a child doesn’t really have complete wisdom or maturity, along different phases of childhood/adolescence to make the best choices for himself/herself.
So don’t you think we’re getting a little carried away with western values of individualism and liberty? I do respect them, but I also respect what Indian society has been all about – love. Both individual and society need to have a give and take, and embrace the effort in doing so. I would hate myself for being dismissive and scornful about these primitive/regressive people, or thinking these modern sophisticated types have no values.
So why is it such a crime when the leader of my country wants to interact with me as an elder and I have to sit for an hour and a half? Even if this was purely voluntary, how many school principals would say”: “No, sir. We can’t,” to the Prime Minister? The coercion is natural. Okay, so sitting after school doesn’t sound fun, but is it not a nice intention to not want to interrupt my learning hours at school?
“Digital India”, “Clean India” keeps ringing in my head. If all he’s doing is repeating what he would love to see change, that turns out to be this hardselling corporate PR exercise? Okay, say it was. But it wasn’t an election rally speech. They were just answers to questions. You think the questions were tailored to suit Modi? Okay, no, but the answers had those marketed phrases you say? Do you think they were not relevant to the context or that they didn’t come up naturally?
When asked – “How can I become PM?”He said- “Prepare for 2024”. But I didn’t think “Hooo-this-dictator-won’t-hold-2019-elections”. He was just confident about a 10 year term…so? When asked- “Sir, your plans to combat Climate Change?” – “Climate hasn’t changed, I have?!?”…Lol! But still, the point was that lifestyle has changed over time, we keep producing and consuming and wasting and producing…., the footprint gets larger and larger. If we change our material ways, the atmosphere will be more or less balanced. Actually, when asked what HE was going to do, he turned it around. Lol. All he’s saying is- Love nature, and you will preserve it in a little way. And I know that very well. But do I willfully ignore it and treat him to my urban scorn?
The most moving part came in the end, which no one really quoted. “The questions were great. But kuchh sawaal aise thhe- mujhe ye dar hai…that you’re losing the child in you.” Kids have been getting smarter by the generation. And that phase of Class VI to XII sees lost innocence. But the innocence still exists – hence the trying not to be innocent. So it’s natural. But is it really? Aren’t parents and teachers taking things too seriously in trying to make smart kids, or showing that envious soft corner for them? Beaming about gesticulation-filled Radhakrishnan-thou-is-great speeches, than allowing them to be natural, and letting them know that being the best is about being yourself. In trying to mould kids, are we losing what they really are?
Looking back. It started off on the good note of Guru-Shishya Parampara which certainly embraces the occasion. But thanks to the sort of questions, and because of no teacher interaction, it turned into a Childrens’ Day show. And that’s something to take forward. So BJP spokespersons, please acknowledge that and don’t be huff-huff pompous about it.
Everyone expected an inspirational Modi speech upfront, myself included. It wasn’t, so? He just wanted to talk and connect. No bhaiyon-behnon stuff. I’m glad I saw the human being in him. The little things he told me- self-reliance, and social, environmental responsibility in my little ways, and just…read, play, be yourself, be happy…
And all hell broke lose before this. And some later too. Aren’t we over-analysing? What’s with this obsession?
I’m glad most people weren’t mean-spirited in their fault-finding, sarcastic-intellectual over-analyzing ways. Even more glad if a lot of them were not fans of his. If their hate didn’t compromise on their objectivity. But some urbanites just won’t change and they may think I’m naïve and not as clever as them. But that’s alright, I have listened to you, but I’m just fine.