Monday, May 21, 2012

Thanks to Satyamev Jayate for just talking about it


I repeat, almost verbatim, a call I got from a neighbor:

Are you aware that child was molested in the E-block lift of our Apartment?

I was too shocked to frame my 'whats' and 'hows' in the correct order…

Well, the family of that child doesn't want to talk about the incident, I am informing you so that you can warn your daughters to be careful, my caller continued.

Of course, I’ll ask my children to be careful and talk to as many parents and children I know, but shouldn’t we organize a meeting to ensure that everybody knows about the threat?

Oh, but I can’t do that
My motives will be questioned, my caller reflected. 
And some people may even start sensationalizing the incident. 

Yes, I agreed, “people” are exactly like that.

The caller just wanted all the children in the complex to be informed so that they were more careful. She had seen an episode of “Satyamev Jayate” and felt she she could not do "nothing”. She could only talk to a handful of people-but the word spread, some steps were taken, and I hope we are all a little safer than before.

We do need a Aamir Khan for coming on a million TV screens and talking about keeping our children safe, for talking about all the issues we already know of, but think that they only happen to other people..


8 comments:

  1. completely agree! what about the culprit? how can they roam freely. We should have our laws to punish those kind of beasts

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    1. Hi Sag
      The unfortunate part is that 'just talking' can only do so much. The culprit was sacked from his job-but is still at large, because the victim's family did not want to go to the police!
      There will be many more attackers around till we start taking stronger steps

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  2. Incidents like these are proof that the serial is working! And hats off to Amir Khan for making us talk about it!

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    1. Exactly-we need to do a lot more than talk about our issues, but talking itself is a big step forward. Even if it makes a tiny difference, for someone, it might be a life-changing incident.

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  3. 'but think that they only happen to other people..' - how true is that! I ws esp. happy about that episode, bcoz it happens in every other household but people hardly talk or gear upto face it!

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    1. Hi Swaram. Yes it is strange that we needed an Actor to get people introspect about what they all knew. But we live in so much darkness that even a single ray of light makes a difference

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  4. "We do need a Aamir Khan for coming on a million TV screens and talking about keeping our children safe, for talking about all the issues we already know of, but think that they only happen to other people.." And I agree with you verbatim!

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  5. But I wonder why is it this way?
    Any talk show can only make people think. What happens a few weeks after the show?

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