Monkey before the Mother

The issue has comfortably taken the back seat. No one seems to recall that only a couple of weeks ago, an Indian cricketer apparently called an Australian player a monkey and was nearly compared to the Boers and the British. Arguments, counter arguments and a court hearing later, it was deemed that the former had abused the latter using a common, uncouth abuse 'Teri Maa Ki' (which mean your mother's ......).

Does a racial taunt deserve punishment more severe than one reserved for a person who abuses another 's mother? I couldn't believe it when the accused persons sentence was lowered from a level 3.3 offence to a level 2.8 offence. There was something morally wrong with the judgement.

A judge decided, I cant punish the offender enough only because he had the choicest abuses towards your mother and not your race. People in India were overjoyed by the verdict. They said justice had prevailed and an innocent man had been reprived after being provoked.

What happened to the Indian sentiments towards a mother. Dont you guys remember Deewar? and the 'Mere Paas Maa Hain' dialogue which made the movie so famous?

Well looks like the silver screen didnt shine enough and the mother's worth is only till her labour is over. People have moved on and they smile, share the same field, win, lose and continue to abuse.

I dont know if it ended up being a wakeup moment for Australia as a country. Recently the Prime Minister of Australia publicly apologised to the world in front of a packed media for past government policies that ended up creating the "Stolen Generation", Aboriginal children in Australia, separated from their mothers during birth as part of a national policy.



It would be reassuring if a similar awakening happened in India and women gained the respect they deserve and more steps are taken to curb abuses against them - verbal, physical or mental.