Bravery, like beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder.
And again like beauty, bravery can launch a thousand ships/ warriors.
The Ashok Chakra is the highest arbitrator of patriotic bravery in this country while we may consider the 'Miss India' title, its equivalent, where judging physical beauty.
IMHO, if we discount the unfortunate loss of life at Mumbai, the award of AC to the three police officers, can be counted as an exercise in political expediency whose equivalent would be an award of 'Miss India' title to Kumari Mayavati.
Now talking of politics and patriotism, a few months ago- prior to the 6CPC award, there was a lot of hullaboo on the blogs about the people of this nation sitting in towns and cities, not appreciating the sacrifices and patriotic acts of the army personnel. There were angry retorts that the servicemen are not the only patriots in the "sare jahan se achha" .
There can be no denying that patriotism is NOT a sole preserve of the armed forces and a common citizen, what to say, the common politician can be equally patriotic. However, talking of the later, did Samuel Johnson state so wonderfully (and which has been so often misunderstood) that-
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel"
Sirs, Samuel Johnson later clarified that what he meant by the above quote was that a vested show of patriotism by politicians is the last resort of the scoundrel.
Make no mistake, these awards are motivated, not with any noble aim of promoting a cult of bravery but by petty ulterior motive to draw votes.
Can you believe 11 Ashok Chakras in an year when the nation is not even at a (declared) war?
For sake of comparison, during 1971 Ops, the armed forces received a grand total of 4 Param Vir Chakras. There were 4 others at Kargil 1999, but then there were 7 ACs at Delhi 2002.
For those interested in records-
Does the colour of blood change in this country with the uniform you wear, the place you serve at and the media interest you generate?
If our media has been bought out by sundry awards, foreign jaunts and gifts, then who questions the misuse of gallantry awards and petty shenanigans of these scoundrels?
We all believe that, in 1991, a capable financial wizard, caused a turnaround in the Indian economy. If memory serves me right, Sh Manmohan Singh, used to accept only Re 1 as his salary as Finance Minister in the Govt of India. This was an indicator of his commitment. However his actions as a PM, in the wake of 6CPC and now the gallantry awards episode are troubling. Because two things matter to a soldier- Izzat and the value of the indicators of the Izzat.
Here is hoping that the recent bypass surgery at AIIMS would have put his heart back at the correct place.
Else let's help vote this government out.
6 comments:
"If our media has been bought out by sundry awards, foreign jaunts and gifts, then who questions the misuse of gallantry awards and petty shenanigans of these scoundrels?"
Fact is media is being bought by doling out Padma Bhushans.
The handling of awards in Toto this year has left a sour taste in the mouth as well has totally demeaned the awards themselves. Recent reports of outrage by boxers and wrestlers being left out, of a Kashmiri businessman being awarded as a craftsman; speak of the deep set malaise as well as negligence to governance.
Just like justice, governance must not be just delivered, but must be seen as being delivered. What we have seen in past few years is absolute mis-governance. Right said Fred, this type of (non)government needs to be voted out. Isn't it a wonder that the governance machinery is going all out with a media campaign to sing paeans to this govt so that it can come back again and anarchists can rule the roost again through proxy dictatorship.
good article...
I congratulate P Sainath for refusing a Padma award this year.
There was this mail going around -
"An Olympic shooter wins Gold (Only a game) & Government gives him 3 Crores.
Another Shooter dies, fighting with terrorists (saving our country and our lives) & government pays his family 5 lakhs."
Cynically speaking - was this perhaps because one shooter is alive and available for possible future glory to the nation, and the other - is of no more use to the country!
one of the biggest scoundrels going around town is that posterior orifice a.k.a Pragmatic cacophony. The idiot seems to have been sodomised by some army mule and is now venting his frustertiuon by proving the wholeness of his orifice. He seems to scour the news for anti military information and twists them to vent his complex. People must read the cheap tharsh that he writes. He is none other than Sushant K Singh, a yellow journalist who is trying to find fame by behaving like a bar dancer who reveals her flabby buutocks to get more oggles.For e.g. the slumdog gets information about tye AC being given to some jokers sitting in vehicles and he preempts the issue by pleading for a non controversy. Now the same idiot rakes up a controversy for the army. If you want to meet him maybe you can search the Red light area where he stalks around
Thats rather interesting
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