PAROCHIALISM
I have had a high regard for our Defence Minister A.K.Antony for his impeccable record as a Public servant. He has been a self less politician never indulged in any corruption and has fought for values in Public life more than anyone else in recent memory. But human beings are human beings. I think it was Justice PN Bhagwati who once opined that prejudices are there in every individual. Other wise I do not see any merit in the Defence Minister's decision to confer honorary title of Lt.Colonel to a Malayalam actor Mohanlal. Some time ago, legendary cricketer Kapil Dev was confered this honor for his contribution to sports. He was commissioned in to Territorial army as a colonel. This it was felt will inspire millions of youth to take up a career with armed forces. I for one believe that conscription could be made compulsory in India which alone will promote national integration I could some how digest Kapil Dev being conferred with this honor but it baffles me as to how Mohanlal qualified for this decoration. He donned the role of armyman in some of his movies which were flops. His contemporary Mammooty has done more such roles and has fitted the bill much more than Mohanlal. Yes Mohanlal is one of the finest actors in India comparable with the best like Nana Patekar, Nasrudden Shah, Kamal Hassan, Mammootty but to confer a honorary title of Lt.colonel calls for something more. the fact that Defence Minister happens to be from the state of Kerala has been the obvious reason for this decision. This is parochialism at its lowest ebb
|
|
