Satyameva Jayate...!
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Satyameva Jayate...!

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See interview of Ashok  Kothare

Amir Khan performs as main character in this program. I was watching this program on my TV this Sunday, 15th July. While I was doing that one girl, a daughter of my friend, Salma Ankolkar, came to see me. She also joined me and we together watched that program. That day Amir and his presenter miss Khan were talking about the treatment given to Dalit or scheduled caste citizen of this country. Khan told about many discrepancies through which they have to go. Khan had other visitors like Paswan and they lamented on the treatment people of this class encounter in this country.

They pointed out through the discussion that this must end and for that making laws is not the solution but enlightenment in general public is essential. Some of them pointed out that our political leaders are not interested in resolving these issues but instead; want to play with these things for the vote bank. After the program was over I put off the TV and turned to Salma to know more of my friend. However, the girl looked very much disturbed after having seen this program and I could feel that something bothers her about this program. After some coaxing she blurted out her grievance. Salma's complain of Amir was very clear and quite convincing, at least, I felt that way. She lamented that this man Amir is a Muslim and his presenter is also a Muslim girl but they do not give vent to the grievances of Muslim of this country. She claimed that there are more serious problems amongst Indian Muslims than those of Hindus. Every body concerns of Dalit but nobody bothers for the plight through which Muslim girls have to pass these days. Salma pointed out that in this program Amir boasts of only problems of Hindu society as if only that society has wrongs and all other are fine. She further said there are enough persons to give vent to grievances of Hindus and their caste system but there are none to discuss difficulties of Muslim people particularly their women. Why Amir is not doing something for his own society? Is it that he and the organizers of this program want to show the world that Hindus are so bad that they have so many wrongs in their society? And there is nothing wrong in his own community? She complained; are we Muslims not part of Satyameva Jayate?

Some Muslim groups recently proclaimed some fatwa and in that they demand that women will not use mobiles and put on veil compulsorily. How correct that is in this democratic country? She asked. Salma gave many other points on which a program at this platform she and many more Muslims expect but that is not happening. She asks why so? Is Amir afraid of these groups? Anybody can talk on what wrong happens in Hindu society because they all know for certain that Hindus believe in democratic values and they do not mind open discussion on all problems. Not only that but Hindus are ready to mend their ways and so Hindu society is evolving in the correct direction slowly but surely. This does not happen for other communities. Nobody wants to try to do that with Muslims, why so?

She accused Amir of all the pretense he shows during this program and disgusted him. Salma told me that this tamasha of Amir is not going to do any good for any body. Why not ask him about his marriages? Why he used provisions of this religions conveniently to cast away a wife and take to other so easily as if nothing happened. Salma wants that Amir should allow on this platform his first wife and talk to the viewers about why she was thrown away the away he did it? Will Satyameva Jayate program arrange for that? She demands to know.

After giving her a patient hearing I told her that the religion of Islam is basically backward type. The problem with that religion is that it does not allow revision of its provisions as per the changing time. It is a frozen religion and so long as people want to observe that; they have to accept the outdated provisions of that religion and that too without asking questions. Whatever fatwa declared, they are based on the provisions of the book, Islam follows. Therefore, challenging that fatwa is not correct. On hearing this, my observation she looked very unhappy. I told her that as per my conviction there is only one way for this problem and that is to discard this outdated religion and take to more evolving religion like Hinduism. I told her that at least I do not see any other way out for this predicament, however difficult this may be. I told her that amongst Hindus also there are many backward elements such as Brahmanism, RSS, Vishwa H. Parishad, Bajaragdal etc., and they also indulge in such foolish activities. Hindus do not give them any credence and they are forgotten. If modern Muslim does the same thing, this problem can resolve but that is not happening. The difference in Hinduism and Islam is very basic. Hinduism allows modifications as per time; Islam does not. Nevertheless, a fatwa is not binding on any Muslim unless he or she wants to accept it; I explained to her.

After that chat we changed topic and allowed fuming Salma some respite.

When I was hearing of grievances of Dalit on that program; I recalled an event happened some years ago. It is worthwhile to tell that here to my readers because that event has many points raised in my mind. One acquaintance I had in Post office at Chembur. He is a Dalit by caste; though not accepted Buddhism his family continues to be Hindu. He educated all his daughters well and the family he developed is almost on par with any so-called high caste Hindu. One day his daughter complained of stomach ache. The pain did not subside by usual home treatment and so they went to their doctor. On examination doctor told him that the girl has developed appendicitis and a surgery to remove that. On that, he along with his wife and daughter went to a nearby hospital. There he came to know that there they have only one surgeon. On inquiring of name of that surgeon he came to know that that surgeon is a Dalit. His wife affirmed that they shall not allow that doctor to perform operation on their daughter. At the hospital other doctors assured them that character of the concerned surgeon is not doubtful and that their daughter is very safe; he has been working for the hospital for quite some time without any complaints. All cajoling did not work on the couple; they left that hospital, went to other, there they found that the surgeon is not scheduled caste, Doctor Phadke, and so they allowed operation in that hospital.

After patiently hearing this episode I asked him; why he refused the Dalit Doctor? His reply was very revealing to me. He told me that Dalit students get admission in medical even though they do not have proper percentage that means doctors of that class are not truly intelligent enough to be trusted for serious operations such as surgery. A non-scheduled class has to be perfect and so those doctors are always superior to the Dalit doctors. He told me that for his dear daughter he and his wife did not want to take any risk by allowing any bellow standard surgeon to perform that operation. He affirmed and to that I agree that, at least for studies such as medicine any concession under any excuse is fatal to society. After that, he pointed out to me many wrong operations performed by such Dalit doctors to justify his point.

Will this voice reach to the concerned people?

 

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