Editor,
Millions of litres of milk was poured over Shiva Lingas on Maha Shivaratri and the milk as usual went down the drain. It is a shame that we fail 48.2 million hungry children of our country. According to the 2018 Global Hunger report, India, Djibouti and South Sudan are the countries where child wasting are most prevalent. Children under the age of five who become victims of acute under-nutrition with low weight for their height, are tagged in the group of child wasting. This happens because of poverty that creates a wall between hungry children and nutritious food.
Now, where is the concept of Daridranarayana ~ ‘God in the form of the poor’? Where is the milk of human kindness? ‘The milk of human kindness’ means compassion and sympathy. This phrase has its origin in Shakespeare’s play ~ ‘Macbeth’ where Lady Macbeth complains that her husband is too full of ‘the milk of human kindness’ to kill his rivals. Could Lady Macbeth make such a complaint about us if she happened to see such wastage of milk in front of our hungry, malnourished children?
Nobel laureate Amartya Sen rightly said, “Hunger is quiet violence.” And such wastage amidst malnutrition among our children is nothing short of violence. The milk could have brought smiles to the faces of our malnourished children and their mothers. We have created God in our own shadows as though Lord Shiva wants to drink milk by depriving his children. However, when we look at the sky we feel that the whole universe must be Infinite and therefore it is the One. So, if the Divine is to exist then that must be in the form of what Chhandogya Upanishad said ~ “One indivisible that is pure existence.”
We see that our world itself creates dark nights by obstructing the Sun. Similarly, the ego creates falsehoods by obstructing the Infinite. Indeed, the ego obstructs the light by building walls of inhuman rituals, myths, superstitions, prejudices thus creating shadows of falsehood that take us far from God who has aptly been described as the “One indivisible that is pure existence” by Chhandogya Upanishad.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Via email
Of acid attacks on women
Editor,
In India, acid has often been used as a weapon against women who have turned down advances by men. Acid attacks are seen as one of the most vicious crimes as they cause perpetual suffering to the victim. Perhaps the most dangerous thing about acid attacks is the fear that they create. With just a few rupees, anyone can buy a weapon that can ruin another person’s life in just a few seconds. Part of the reason is that acid is cheap and widely available. Many Indians use concentrated acid to sterilize their kitchens and bathrooms, as Americans would use bleach. There is an immense need to come out with legal measures and medical reforms by our government to help these victims. Men who commit these crimes are usually spurned suitors who want to avenge their rejection. The men should be punished so badly that no one will ever think of attempting to ruin a girl’s life ever again.
Yours etc.,
Vinod C. Dixit
Ahmedabad
IWD and atrocities on women
Editor,
International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world to acknowledge special respect to women for their extraordinary contribution to society. The main purpose of celebrating the day is to extend solidarity to women who fall vicitims to all sorts of inequalities and injustice. Meghalaya also celebrates the day every year in a befitting manner; but the purpose of the celebration remains futile. In the matrilineal society of Meghalaya atrocities upon women are rising by leaps and bounds and proving a challenge to the law and order of the Government. Crimes like allegations of witchcraft, of girls being gang-raped, trafficked sexually harassed and even minor girls and babies are subjected to such brutalities. The criminals, though sometimes caught red-handed, are not given exemplary punishment. Cases are pending for years and justice is delayed on the plea of investigations etc. As a result, the criminals are emboldened to repeat the crime and atrocities on women.
Many women suffer from domestic violence which is the highest form of inequality in the domestic sphere. Woman, being the physically weaker sex, our society is dominated by males and women are the vicitms of physical torture, mental harrashment, rape, exploitation and extreme cruelty. Even the safety and chastity of minor girls or child-girls are at stake where male guardians or protectors themselves become the predators. Even the representatives of the people i.e the legislators are not above such crimes. What can be more pathetic than this and where is the solace?
The aim of International Women’s Day is not only women’s empowerment or acknowledgement of women achievers. The first and foremost aim should be to ensure the safety and security of women, so that they as a class can move freely and safely. So it is high time for women to raise their voices against atrocities and violence against them and demand for proper enforcement of the existing laws. Courts should stop granting bail to the culprits to prevent repetition of heinous crimes on women. Moreover weak and debilitating justice delivery should be substituted by a robust one. Rapid and stringent action by the Government on atrocities on women should be given top priority.
Celebration of Women’s Day will only be meaningful when our girls, our women, our flower like innocent baby girls are able to move freely and safely. Will we ever see such a day?
Yours etc.,
Uma Purkayastha
Shillong – 4