"Your freedom ends where my nose begins". These were words spoken by a historical figure and these are powerful words. In contrast, I watch the present state of affairs where Bal Thackeray Shiv Sena is intimidating Shahrukh Khan to apologize for his statement that if he had a slot, he would have considered taking a cricketer from Pakistan.
"My name is Khan" releases tomorrow. Still there are fears among mutiplex owners, some of whom are reportedly talking to SRK, probably asking him to apologize. What he said were reasonable comments. The fact is, there are no Pakistani players in the Kolkota Knight Riders.
When men stop using reason as the means of communication, the only alternative left to them is using brute physical force. Another reason why a "democracy" is a questionable means of government. The largest majority matters. Numbers. That's all.
Anyway, SRK is the only one voice of sanity that does not oppose the Shiv Sena, but merely exposes them. Who gave the Shiv Sena the right to hold the citizens of Mumbai to ransom? Who gave them the right to be the "voice" of the public? No one.
The men who call themselves Shiv Sainiks damage public and private property. They intimidate and threaten. When asked, they reply "it was an outburst of public anger...". Once again, the issue is not Shiv Sena. The issue is the security of every individual citizen. The issue is preservation of law and order.
The state government was splendid when Rahul Gandhi visited Mumbai. How I wish the ordinary citizen without Z security could speak and move as freely as Rahul Gandhi did. The foremost function of a government is to maintain law and order, to defend tax paying citizens from violence, irrespective of whether it comes from an armed robber or from a Shiv Sena.
What comfort can an individual feel in a place where the larger your gang, the stronger your voice. Where it is not the truth or reason that prevails, but the number of men on your side-right or wrong. Not much. None, sometimes.
How come what a Bal Thackeray believes is holy and what a SRK thinks is unholy? This is a battle between force and reason. The way to fight it is not opposing but exposing the enemy.
As long as we live in a civil society, a free society I must not fear the mindless hordes of men who roam the streets. I must only fear becoming like them
