By Robert Clements
Women wrestlers of India, who through sheer, grit, determination and perseverance, discipline and exercise powered their way to become winners, now sit in meek, silent protest. This, the second time in Delhi, asking for justice against, what those same muscles of theirs could not defend; the sexual molestations and advances of their coaches and even alleged sexual harassments from their federation chief!
This is the second time they are protesting!
In January, the same wrestlers and their male colleagues did the same, but very firmly made it clear that politicians were not welcome to participate in their protests. The government, embarrassed by the publicity, quickly promised a probe, but the so-called ‘findings’ of the committee did not satisfy the victims. They felt the kingpin was being let off, and decided to protest again, but this time doing a turn around, and asking politicians of every political party to attend.
Why this change in attitude to politicians?
Just over two weeks ago, the Christian community in Mumbai, sad and angry with atrocities being committed against them, decided to have a morcha. Different Christian groups representing both Catholic and Protestant churches lent their support, but when politicians from the opposition came for the meetings, they were firmly told, what the wrestlers in Delhi told political parties the first time, “You are not needed!”
At the end of the Mumbai morcha, the participants were disappointed and saddened that no leader from the ruling dispensation, state or centre came to meet them, or even acknowledged them.
Intriguing isn’t it? Nobody wants politicians around, hoping their protesting voices will be heard without them, and then find that these same people are the only ones who are listened to and are actually a necessity!
In the first place, why don’t we want them around? Simple: Politics has become a dirty word! We believe a politician has only one interest; not the upliftment of people, but crane lifting of themselves! That they are corrupt, can be bought and have no principles worth talking about…
And yet, the wrestlers in Jantar Mantar reached out to these same people on hindsight!
What we have to realise is that in a democracy we cannot do without the support of politicians, and what politicians need is to change their methods of functioning so as to remove suspicion about their motives.
Let’s look at Lincoln, a politician who managed to change the thinking of his country. Before Abraham Lincoln became the president of the United States, men and women from pulpits and secular platforms thundered the ills of slavery.
There were enough stories circulating about cruelty taking place in plantations, especially in the south. White men and women went to church, sang hymns, read the scriptures but felt nothing amiss about the inhuman treatment they inflicted on their black slaves in their homes and places of work.
Those who were against slavery were called abolitionists. They cried from the mountaintops, they appealed to the Christian spirit, they spoke about the cruelty that the blacks were undergoing, of families separated, about treatment worse than that given to pets in the households of the slave owners, but the white man continued to ignore these protests and went to church, sang hymns, prayed righteously and beat his slaves when he came home!
And then voila, entered a politician who decided he would make America slave free. His goal was the same, but his message was different. He spoke to Americans about why their forefathers left England, for equality which they painstakingly imprinted in their Constitution. He told them that if they did not allow that same equality to be given to every human being in the US, then one day, that same right could be taken away from them. He spoke in the Houses of Congress, voiced his feelings in the Senate, convinced the lawmakers and then with the might of the Union fought against the Confederates and won a victory, not for the Union or for the abolition of slavery but for Justice and Equality.
Abraham Lincoln knew that even as soldiers of his own army died, families in his own North would hate him for the grief he was inflicting on them, but his cause was bigger than himself, and despite the thousands who died, he is today, the most respected and adored man in the US.
For such a sea change in our country, we need the same to happen here: One, we need to start involving our politicians, for, in a democracy that is the only way forward, and two, politicians need to build trust by changing their attitudes.
They have to change from becoming instigators to becoming listeners. Instigators, ignite people quite often for their own selfish reasons, instead, they need to go into areas where injustice is taking place, listen to the people, then be able to use debate and argument in the House, and Parliament where they have been elected into.
They need to be able to transform an issue, like this one happening to girl wrestlers into something that is happening to every woman in India, who tries to excel in any walk of life, not just wrestling. Galvanizing the support of all in the Legislative House, Parliament or Village Panchayat is his or her job; not igniting restlessness and unrest during protests through hate and other speeches towards their own upliftment.
In a democracy we need politicians. Morchas will become non-existent and useless, and protests will become pointless and impractical, if these representatives are not involved. But again, Mr. Professional Politico, do a makeover; start thinking of your constituents, not as steps for your upliftment but start looking at them as those you have decided to serve and to save. Start using your wily heads to paint pictures that all the people of our country can see, like Lincoln did, instead of miniature paintings for a miniscule few. Have the ability to convince through debate, not through outshouting. And when we see those skills, then will we come to you and ask for help, because you like Honest Abe Lincoln, are doing your job..!
(The Author conducts an Online Writers Course. For more details send a thumbs-up to him on WhatsApp 9892572883).