The big BAN theory!

I had tough time in deciding whether to write this blog now or wait for another day as I had a non-vegetarian (meat) meal just an hour ago and didn’t really wish to offend the readers belonging to various communities.

So much has been spoken and written about the meat ban in recent days that I strongly feel, the word ‘BAN’ should itself be banned. For several decades, no one had any problem with what others ate or drank. Unless one forcibly stuffed something down someone’s throat, certainly not with any malicious intention to harm one’s religion (or to convert). Why suddenly such a hue and cry?

There are several issues and unfinished tasks pending from decades which require immediate attention. Farmers are committing suicides; let us BAN their unwarranted deaths. Several villages are reeling under severe drought; let us BAN the wastage of water. Several instances of crime against women are reported daily; let us BAN the pervert attitude. And many more such issues need to be tackled on priority basis.

Raking up issues in the name of protecting religious sentiments, and that too selectively, is nothing but vote-bank politics. How can a beef ban in Maharashtra be a step in the direction of protecting the religious sentiments of Hindus, while in the neighbouring state of Goa, it’s allowed to be sold and consumed freely? In Goa, Hindus are in majority and like Maharashtra the tiny but progressive state too is ruled by the BJP. How can the sentiments of Hindus staying in two states differ so drastically?

What does one really gain by imposing such BANS? Instead of protecting the interests of the society, it leaves it divided. We, as a country, have bigger battles to win ahead. A divided society on such whims and fancies of political ‘jokers’ will only end up turning this country into a circus.

No political party has the will or the determination to take everyone along and grow. Every party, instead of highlighting what good they have done, is today busy exposing opponents’ shortcomings. And in this mad tussle for one-upmanship, we invent and re-invent dangerous tools like BAN.