The dilution of Civil Society due to majoritarianism and bellicose nationalism
Argumentation and questioning ushers in social progress as it gives us the ability to be rational and prove the fact that the pope isn't always infallible. The 2013 incident of gangrape of a 23 year old girl, Nirbhaya ushered in a breakthrough for Indian society. It exposed an ugly picture which showed that how women are caged down in a socio-political scenario on the basis of their gender and compulsory heteronormativity. This also helped in re- amending of the Constitution as the Congress led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) introduced the new Criminal Law (Amendment) Act,2013 in order to bring more stringent punishments for heinous offences.
May 2023- A harrowing portrait of how gender discrimination/misogyny and the horrors of patriarchy continue to plague the Indian society. Acclaimed and medal winning wrestlers are strenuously protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MLA , Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on grounds of sexual misconduct of female wrestlers including a minor . But still the voices of the wrestlers continue to be unheard as the authorities have taken no action to apprehend Singh. What's shocking is that the Civil Societies are keeping silent due to the institutionalised corruption creeping in.Thus though the events had a significant potential for mass mobilization , they failed to provoke the systematically desensitised hoi polloi. In the current era , protesting or even questioning are being deemed as ,"anti-national" and once again the ugly aspects of exclusive nationalism that the internationalist par excellence, Rabindranath Tagore had warned about ( i.e. prevention of consciousness about the sense of separation of one's own people from others) is sadly coming true.
Thus , I would like to end this on a positive note by quoting the bard, Rabindranath Tagore ," I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live."
