Monday, September 27, 2004

TV and sound bytes

Ya, Goyal, it's a very valid point. I think there are quite a few reasons for it. First of all, it's the fact that we all like to have our time in the spotlight... and with half a dozen 24 hour news channels hiding mikes in every nook and corner for sound bytes, you only have to be remotely famous to get your share. And making absurd statements is the easiest way to get you there... Praveen Togadia is a fine example...

As far as this Dhananjay chap is concerned, it's a debate that shouldn't even have happened. I, personally, am not against death penalty... I agree, you can't go around killing everyone but I feel our legal system gives enough scope for appeals and reappeals... if in nothing else, here at least it's quite thorough in making sure that the case really is "rarest of the rare"... and if the high court, the supreme court and after that the president also decides that a person should be hanged, he must really deserve it. As definitely did Dhanajay...

You know what the basic problem is... I feel it's that people don't know what they're fighting for... they forget that if they're against death penalty, that doesn't mean they're for Dhananjay... coz how can they support a heinous killer. If they're against death penalty, they shouldn't be coming out on the streets a week before he is hanged and then forget all about it... the debate should be happening now... at this moment. I'll listen, give me a convincing argument and I'll listen. But don't you tell me Dhananjay deserves my pity... coz he doesn't... coz it's not a convincing argument... coz no one in his right mind would say that... coz if you're saying that, you're not against death penalty, you just wanna be on TV... you don't know what you're talking about...

Many years ago, I had read somewhere that after Nathuram Godse was hanged, they buried his body in some unmarked field and then planted grass all over so that the spot couldn't be recognized and idolized later... I often wondered why that was needed... there might come those who criticize Gandhi but would they really idolize Godse...

Hmm... maybe... I guess our forefathers knew us really well...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey I dunno how true this is but this is what I found on the net and also was mentioned in Freedom at Midnight.
_____________________________________________________

My dear Dattatraya,

You are allowed to perform last rites of my body you may perform them in any manner. But I am to express herewith a specific wish.

The river Indus (Sindhu), on the banks of which our Pre- historic Rishis composed the Vedas is the Boundary of our Bharatvdrsha i.e. Hindusthan.

My ashes may be sunk in the Holy Sindhu river when she will again flow freely under the aegis of the flag of Hindusthan. That will be the sacred day for US.

It hardly matters even if it took a couple of generations for realising my wish. Preserve the ashes till then, and if that day would not dawn in your life time, pass on the remains to posterity for translating my desire into reality.

If and when the Government lifts ban on my statement made in the Court, I authorise you to publish it.

14-11-1949

Nathuram Vinayak Godse

I have donated Rs. 101/- on this day for its utilisation for the dome (kalasha) of the sacred Somnath temple which is under construction.

15-11-1949

Nathuram Vinayak Godse

7-15 a.m.

Seal of The Magistrate