Dreams and Nightmares

My life is going through an Interesting phase at the moment. All this has been influenced by the events unfolding on Television. One case is a dream, but the other event seems to be a nightmare which nobody expected. The verdict in the Manjunath Case as well as the disaster in Cricket represent conflicting times about India. The First part of 2007 has indeed being full of surprises. Let us get down to analyzing both these scenarios.

The Manjunath case might perhaps be considered as another victory for the Justice system. An IIM Graduate from Lucknow, S.Manjunath was on the verge of exposing the Petrol Adulteration Mafia in UP. He was murdered in 2004, and the case has been going on for the last 3 years. Yestreday, the verdict was passed by the sessions court, in which of the eight accused, seven were handed life imprisonment, while one was given the death penalty. Perhaps, indirectly, this is another victory for Media activism, for once again news channels took up the Manjunath case, and the results were yielded.

However, there is still a long way to go for the Judiciary to prove that it is providing the right course of Law. I have my doubts regarding the sustainability of Media activism. Can the Media be counted upon everytime to bring in Activism? When will the Judiciary wake up on its own count and deliver Truth and Justice? According to me, Media is still playing the rules of Selectivity when it comes to Activism. Where is the Media activism regarding the death of Professor Sabharwal at the hands of political goons? Media highlighted the initial plights, but is nowhere to be seen when the course of Justice is to be delivered. Even after Prof. Sabharwal's Son appears on TV asking for Justice for his father, there seems to be a minimal response.

The above argument highlights the fact that Media Activism is bound by Selectivity and that, it can't be counted upon everytime. The Citizens as well as the Judiciary have to initiate the path of Activism on their own, believing in nothing but their Conscience and having a crystal clear vision of the Truth.

While there seems to be some hope in the Judiciary, the Sports has taken two steps back. Billions of people were left disillusioned, and their anger spilled out on the streets. Effigies were burnt, people attacked the houses of the Sportsmen, and the result was the nightmarish disintegration of the Indian Psyche. The first round exit of the Indian Cricket team from the Carribbean highlighted the fact that India has a very, very long way to go before they can challenge the very best in Sports.

This case highlights the fact that Sports Culture in India is stagnating. Looking at the response of the so-called Fans, though in a minority, it might perhaps not be worth being a sportsmen here. Lots has been written, lots has been said, but the people have forgotten that it is just a Game. If I say that Winning and Losing is part and Parcel of the Game, it is guaranteed that i will be lynched by a mob. Agreed, we are disappointed, but there is a more subtler way to express it.

I guess that is why the heading is Dreams and Nightmares. India is caught between Dreams and Nightmares, and like in most aspects, we seem to be at the Crossroads.