“The fast of the saint could not break the spell of Brahmin, might or ability to talk to God is a task, shorn of foundation.”
This is a bad, misleading translation of a good couplet of Iqbal… bad because I am always conscious of language, so much so that more often than not, I, in the pursuit of finesse and effectiveness, write in a ridiculous manner.
The couplet referred to above came into my sick mind when I read the sad news of death of Swami Nigamananda, who entered into history on June 15 following a 103-day long fast-unto-death, observed to stop quarrying in and around the Ganga, so dear to our Saffron fraternity.
Obviously to them Swami Ramdev was more precious, both dead and alive. That is why Sushma Swaraj rushed towards the Ramlila Grounds when the yogi politician embarked upon his fast, terminated after a few days. The rest is history, punctuated with gaffas. What however is not history is, not long ago, the Congress Party warned Anna Hazare: “Mind your language”. The party spokesman, Manish Tewari was angry at Hazare’s bomb: “UPA is a bunch of cheats and frauds.” They claim to be downright honest. If so, they should confess the Gandhian leader’s description which has some grains of truth.
Are the said words ‘cheat’ and ‘frauds’ un-parliamentary? I have yet to find out a list containing abuses permissible in Parliament. But my gut feeling is all of them lack in force which reduces them into a farce. And without force an unprintable word is just gibberish, a meaningless bunch of lifeless letters. What injects impact, vibrancy and the much-needed cutting edge in an innuendo is thrust. In fact much depends upon the tone, occasion, and gestures. Coming to the brass tacks the parliamentary list of offensive words needs thorough revisions and massive additions.
After a thorough revision of the Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Penal Code, Ms Mayawati, cornered by a slew of rapes in U.P., has decided to amend the law on the subject. Henceforth the crime will be non-bailable and the judgement would be delivered within six months.
The less-than-elegant lady lives in a paradise made by whom I do not know. My hunch is there exists a sure remedy which can make wonders.
Hang the rapist by the nearest lamp post. Yes, in the open, under the sky.
The message of this utterly barbaric punishment is likely to melt the offender’s libido into thin air.
Murders continue to be committed mostly because the offenders are not made to mount the gallows in public. Let them be hanged publicly to see the difference.