A TALE OF TWO DEMOCRACIES

A TALE OF TWO DEMOCRACIES

So Trump has escaped impeachment.Which means he is eligible to contest the US Presidential elections once again in 2024 despite his calls triggering the Capitol Hill violence.Something akin to our local 'Goli Maro Saalon Ko' slogans!But more of that later.

I,for one,was not surprised.Having become privy to to much that goes on in the most powerful democracy in the world courtesy my long chats with old pal Upkar Chopra, journalist-turned-engineer settled in US, I was prepared for this.

For instance,the only country that has Media Freedom enshrined in its Constitution has a judicial system where Judges to the Supreme Court are openly nominated by the two political parties, the Republicans and Democrats.

The country which proudly boasts of gays and LGBTs as senators is also a country that looks down upon abortions.And that is irrespective of whether the government is led by the conservative Republicans or the Liberal Democrats.

And the face of democratic values in the world does not allow buying basic medicines and even pathology tests without a doctor's prescription has been unwilling to control the sale of guns despite so many killings by youngsters in its campuses.Allegedly because a strong lobby of Republicans will not allow it.

Back to our dear Bharat taking great strides in technology, development and world leader in having vaccinated maximum numbers against Covid.

But on Valentine Day today youngsters will be scared to go out of their homes to meet up with friends.And it's not because of Covid.

For several years now, squads of some 'well- intentioned' and 'cultural'organisations(which are now known for their powerful IT cells) prepare in advance for this day to thwart any one professing their love openly. These squads have now been given official status Police units, called anti-Romeo squads.

It may be impossible to lodge a sexual assault report in the state of Uttar Pradesh but girls and boys cannot go out on Valentine Day with a rose in hand.

It's not that these anti Romeo squads hate Shakespeare.They would have treated Soni Mahiwal the same way, or for that matter even Tulsidas, before he turned a poet.

By the way the Shakespeare they hate had put "The lunatic, the lover and the poet" in the same category.