Facebooks' "Draw the Muhammad (PBUH) " campaign : A step Backward

This has been very disappointed week after a long time. Not because of Kites but because of other issue namely “Draw Muhammad campaign on Facebook”. Pakistan’s “ban on Facebook” received the aggressive condemnation from Indian media, as expected. Everyone was using key words “freedom of speech” to justify their stand on the debates running on News Channels. Reason behind Pakistan banning the Facebook was campaign “Draw Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)” started on facebook. When everyone blames Pakistan for over reacting, none of them raise the core issue. Core issue should have been “if it is OK to Murder someone’s sentiment on the name of “Freedom of speech” rather than “whether Pakistan did the right thing”. There are so many other things that Pakistan does which affects India. Those issues are more important to us, as Indians. Pakistan banning a website is not an issue of that importance (at least not from India’s prospective).


Coming back to real issue, First of all we, as mature adults, should understand all religions are not same. Because had they call been same, they would not have called the so different in implementation, concept of GOD etc. 1 thing permissible in one might be forbidden in another. It is ok to be different. Problem occurs when we start assuming them to be same. Painting a Goddess is not a big deal in Hinduism, Infact we grow up watching Mahabharata on Doordarshan. Forget about objections about that, it was matter of pride for Hindu Brothers. Hinduism has history of using Idol, Statue, portrait & other visual medium in faith. Similarly, portrait of Guru Nanak is found in most of the Sikh Homes. Church & Christians’ homes have Jesus’ Famous crucifix (Jesus nailed to cross). But it is totally forbidden in Islam to use any visual medium (Idol, Painting, Photo, statue, cartoon, movie etc) for ALLAH or Prophets (including Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)). Infact using any visuals for ALLAH or his messengers threatens the very base of Islam. You will not see a single visual anywhere in Islamic culture (be it place of worship, home or otherwise). Those who are ignorant or not aware about Islam might see this issue as tiny. But followers of Islam will know gravity of situation. One can realize that issues like “cloths person should wear” don’t attract that much attraction from Muslim World, because their gravity is not as strong as “drawing a cartoon of Prophet”. This issue threatens the very base of Islam, & its condemnation is not only overreaction by Muslims but a natural reaction considering the importance of this issues. I have never written about Fatwa being issued daily on “whether one can listen to music, watch a movie & blah blah” as those issues are very minor in magnitude when compared to cartoon issue.

If it is OK to paint, making statue or draw cartoons in one religion, does it mean other religion should follow the same? Liberalisation is when we respect & accept the different point of view from our own. We should stop seeing others from our point of view, instead try to understand the differences very well & live peacefully thereafter. I strongly believe that campaigns like this will further widen the gulf between faiths. It is not Liberalisation, it is exactly the opposite. I know society is changing with time but I am not sure about its direction (Is it Conservative to Liberalisation or other way?), I seriously doubt it is later.

Kites is all Hype(s). Hrithik Roshan as Repeat Roshan (Repeatative Hide & seek)

It is weekend again. The day, I need not to awaken by alarm. Normally working class people in cities live for weekends. Weekend is symbol of freedom for many people. But for me weekend brings mix emotions of Happiness, satisfaction & sadness. On the one hand weekend means no work, No alarm, no deadlines & this blog (Happier side). On the other hand, I feel sad as weekend seems to come too fast now-a-days. It sounds little unusual since most of “Working class” complains of short weekend & not coming fast enough. Sad part of my emotion is, Faster the time (seems to) flies, faster you are growing old & less time left to do whatever you want to do (which I am not even clear about yet). I today’s time there is very little an Introvert, financially not-so-strong, shareef (i.e. decent) guy can do on the weekend. He can sleep, eat somewhere or watch a movie (in theatre). This weekend decided to catch Kites, it was a big release with Hype. I recommended Kites to friends (& as always happen, if you recommend something, you have to arrange for that) I had to book the tickets. We went for 12.15am show, hoping Kites will fly high in sky. But we were left disappointed because we had sacrificed our sleep for that late Kites show (Oops late Night show). I was even more disappointed when my friends refuse to pay me back (for tickets). I got the well deserve punishment for recommending the movie like Hypes (sorry!! I mean Kites). Kites was 40% English, 30% Spanish & 30% Hindi. It was about the Locations, body, beauty, looks, Ishtyle. All looks good even you have story to back it. Audience should feel the emotionally attached to characters to digest such a movie. It was a road chase, Hrithik & Barbra Mori were playing hide & seek LITERALLY. They hide at ten different locations & bad guy/COP always manages to found them & interestingly they manage to escape each time (some fire exchange & similar chase). It was just too repetitive. They repeated the hide & seek plot so many times that i thought it was watching Repeat Roshan & not Hrithik roshan.Funniest part is Kites non-existing story is written by 3 writers. Hope they were Righter not only writers. I love to thrash the movies. After kites, I have concern about Rajneeti now. I am in “Watch or Not-to-Watch” dilemma about rajneeti now !!!!

Rare species : Indian Teenager in Dubai Public Bus

I notice a rare species in Dubai Public Bus Today.i saw an Indian Teenager Boy in bus. In first place, I never realize that that it is a rare thing until today. When i saw a 12 years old Indian boy , it felt little odd. I look around the bus & there was no other kid of his age. I start thinking why it is feeling odd to me. I have to find my answer anyhow, so i wear my (virual) logic cap & lost into deep thoughts & analysis (yes! i do analyse random things often). Then i realizes It is not everyday that you see some indian teenager in public bus in dubai. Next Logical step was to find out the reasons behind it. Most of the people Travelling in bus are 20-50 years old, almost 99% of them. Most of them come here to work. so Naturally more productive age group is 20-50. But normally man in his 40s will be having some teenager kids. Logic was simple & plain. Most of people who travel in bus earn less than say 8000 dirhams PM. So thier families will be back home in India & those who earn enough to support family & kids can definately afford a car. Affording is Car is much cheaper than keeping a family in the city (with school going teenager even difficult). you move from "Can afford a car" to "can afford keeping a family without (school going) kids" to "Can afford keeping a family with teenagers". Time you are in third bracket, you have passed the first bracket (Afford a Car). Hardly a teenager subcontinent whose family does not own a car (it is like saying person having Car in india will be having a mobile also, in all probability). that was the reason why it is such a rarity. My feed my logic hungry mind & get down at next stop. I raised the Question & got answer by myself. In that sense it was even more Satisfactory.(amazing how it do wonder ur your self respect when most of your Question are answered by none other than yourself).