Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Satyameva Jayate??

The Aamir Khan TV serial, Satyameva Jayate has made waves across the social media right after its first episode, thanks to Aamir Khan himself. The issue raised in the first episode, is not unknown to us. In fact, it was nice of Aamir Khan to showcase the two journalists of Sahara Samay, who had blown the lid off the doctors’ revenue model through sex determination killings, SEVEN YEARS AGO! I just want to highlight a few things: i) Aamir Khan has the star power to create awareness. Beyond that, will it bring about changes?; ii) We are very active when it comes to social networking or internet or media activism. Will we have it in us to take this forward? We are folks who are all busy making our ends meet (of course, we keep stretching the ends no sooner we bridge the gap) and will we take time off from this? iii) Anyone who takes on social change has a price to pay. This is negated or limited by having a family and commitments. We can merely nod our heads or give support via polls, candle light processions (after work please) etc., The response to Anna Hazare at Shivaji Park sums it all. Count on me, but do not bother me. iv) Aamir Khan has made no efforts to go beyond the TRP. There was a lady doctor, who had a supportive father. She could have been asked as to why she suffered the torture, without walking out. Surely that question was on every viewer’s mind; v) A petition to the government of Rajasthan to put the scam check on ‘fast track’ was the answer and the winding up of the show. We have seen our legal system in operation. It would have been nice if the programme gave a list of all the doctors/labs which were indicted by the sting operation. Even an online list would have helped to begin a social boycott. I am a sceptic when it comes to crooks getting punished in India. Our legal system of evidences and proofs ensure that the guilty escape. And punishments are never strong enough. As regards this episode, the silence of the Medical Council of India and the government of India for the last seven years, tells me the story. The optimistic view is that hopefully, these kind of shows will help increase awareness and reduce this kind of evils. Hopefully more mothers to be will be emboldened to take up the fight against the male oriented in laws and outlaws. Personally, I do not think a single doctor will get any punishment. He will fabricate enough evidence to justify the killings of the foetus. And the parents who ordered the killings are not going to speak. I hope that the celebrity status is used to create not just awareness ( I am sure all of India knew about this female child issue long before the episode and many also know of doctors/clinics which are party to this) but bring some crooks to book. Our social fabric has been spoilt too much for it to be mended in a hurry.

No comments: