Friday, November 2, 2007

Rizwan, Mr. Todi, and Baangaalees.

The Rizwan murder eipsode is progressing, and Ashok Todi, and Snehashish Ganguly have been summoned by the CBI. While this may be as it ought to be, I am not writing about this aspect, but about an aspect which not many are even looking at, and even fewer would like to acknowledge. Actually, not one (the not many are looking at), but two (the not many would like to acknowledge).

Bachi Karkaria wrote this article ... and I know many people would have read it. Which is why I am surprised ... There has not been a single bandh call from West Bengal about this article.

Ms. Karkaria has raised two valid points. First, and most important point, I thought, was the sentiments of the girl. Priyanka would be torn, I would think ... between father and husband. She has told anyone who would care to listen that she loves Rizwan. But, what might the future hold for her? Should she take a stand against her Father, or should she stand by the memory of her late Husband? I dont think this is a simple issue to resolve for anyone.

Another thing, would the intelligentsia of Kolkata have been so indignant if Mr. Todi was a Baangaalee "Bhodrolok"? Would they have been so vehement in denouncing Ashok Todi if he was a respectable Baangaalee, instead of being a Marwari, a set of people, which even the Baangaalees admit, they detest. Though, I think, if that was the scene, the whole incident would have taken a communal angle.

What this shos is just one thing ... The issue is not the people involved in the episode, and least of all their feelings.

3 comments:

debbie said...

I agree to both the points that you have raised here. Yes the future looks tough for Priyanka. even if her husband would have been alive, I think life would not have been a bed of rose for her. After all, you never know what colour Rizwanur himself would have taken..

Being a woman and hearing horror stories about marriage, I am sceptical.. but lets not think about that coz the dead cant defend them selves

I also completely agree that the case and indignation about it might have been dfferent if it had been a Bangalee bhadralok...after the case is not unique and opening any news channel and newspaper gives us such incidents. In fact, they have been happening ever since Mughal times

But I have one question here... had the case been this sensitive and so much pressure would have been exerted had the boy been a Hindu???/.. would the St. Xavier's rigade kept sucha strict vigil?

We have the best opportunity of playing the bg brother to the so called "minority" and what better way than to glorify filmy manner of romance of "Raja Hindustani"

Priyanka made a fatal mistake in choosing her partner and god knowshow she has to pay!!!

Atul said...

Should we consider this a mistake because of the controversy? Does Priyanka not have the right to fall in love with anyone she chooses to? Does she not have the right of deciding how she will live her life?

debbie said...

Decisions made on impulses dont wrok and Priyanka is too young to realize that. She does have the right to live life on her own terms and choose whomsoever she decides to fall in love, but being blind in any conviction is not good. She could have given herself anf Rizwanur some time.

After all if they really loved each other they could have overcome everything