The Truth is greater than the facts – AAM AADMI

Dr. Rajesh Talwar’s release from jail has given a lot of people some work to do. There is Barkha Dutt, who once again, can prove on National Television how she has can influence ‘aam aadmi’s life’ (she has incidentally been voted as the 8th-9th most powerful woman in the world, on some AXN TV show) as she makes an emphatic point on ‘Do we agree that the media has played a wrong role in this case’. Her brethren , frankly for want of anything better to do, ( who are constantly jostling for mind space with us so called intellectuals, consequently hoping for positive increase in advertising revenues) passionately join in the circus, …then there is this ‘aam aadmi’ as a part of the same exhibition. He ( or she- for the politically sensitive) sits there and self righteously argues on the Noida police, UP police or some other body that needed to do a better job in the first place. ‘Talwar should sue for defamation- these ineffective police fellows deserve it.’ As you would have guessed, in my current cynical phase in life, this Aam aadmi is going to be the object or damn it, subject of my blog.

Don’t you just love this aam aadmi? He behaves all virtuous, has a justification – all externalized, for almost everything that happens or doesn’t happen in his life. It could be any case in point- be it his child’s education, the state of the roads, how this country is not being run well, the state of cricket & those ugghh –mercenary cricketers playing for IPL ( imagine – its corrupting minds & spoiling the gentleman’s game) , the Nuclear deal, the Ambani feud & god help us – Dr. Rajesh Talwar’s case. To me AAM AADMI is perfection- He has perfected the art of manipulation, deceit & worse still- now lives in a complete delusionary world.

Lets look at the Talwar case & its inappropriate handling by the Noida police. I am not going into the details here- essentially a middle class person with a long established dental practice, wife & 14 year old daughter, was accused of murdering his daughter ( Aarushi) - to who incidentally , just the night before, he had just gifted a video camera for her forthcoming birthday.. Based on prima facie , ridiculously concoted stories & evidence, Talwar was arrested by the Noida police. He was released after spending 50 days in jail after the CBI had duly investigated and found some other fellas to blame.

My favorite AAm Aadmi quickly jumped at this chance to articulate everyone else’s opinion but his own. There were all sorts of opinions “what has the world come to? Talwar had an affair with his long time family friend, his daughter was upset & he killed her" Or some other bull shit like this. I watched aghast at their reactions, interacted and ineffectively argued with a lot of my colleagues who all had opinions on the case and were dying to find out what kind of a heinous man this Talwar was ..'This is true kalyuga’ Meanwhile, nowhere did the media actually say that Talwar had or not had committed the crime. They did their job- presented facts for both the sides- yeah with a little drama thrown in. On the other hand, I think the media had a huge hand to play in the escalation of the case to CBI

Come on , people- get real with me. Are you choosing to deliberately ignore some obvious facts STARING at you right there in the face or have you just become too lazy to even bother? Cant you make your own judgements any more? Look at the facts- Talwar was arrested by the Noida police- the same agency who had made a complete mess of the Nithari murders, they didn’t find the body of Talwar’s servant for 3 whole days- all the time the body was lying on the terrace, the law & order situation at Noida ( or rather, the lack of it) is apparent for everyone to see but still- you chose to go with THEIR INTERPRETATION of the story. I cried myself hoarse- at the lunch cafeteria, dining table, friends- how can a father kill his daughter in these circumstances. Its not making sense- for those who listened to his wife’s interview of NDTV- there were still a few people who didn’t lack conviction- He couldn’t have done it. But most of us- waited, like a hyena- waiting for the lion to have its fill- waited on the fringes , waiting to fill themselves with the leftovers- in this case, whatever is the emerging reality- whatever is presented to them on a platter.

Being a quintessential aam aadmi myself , I mostly like to keep myself aloof from such moments of truth, However, it disturbs & pains me that while we indignantly go on with our lives, we conveniently ignore the inconvenient facts that confront us and then lament , mourn the entire world for our own misfortunes . Then at an opportune time, make our pathetic presence known by rallying around some newly realized truth- that incidentally was ALWAYS there for all to see. We sign up for teach india campaigns , we blog, we hold sabhas, discussions – all to justify our own foolishness in the first place.

O Aam aadmi- help me out here, help me understand- what is the legacy we are leaving behind for our children- what are we teaching to them? Why are we forgetting our conscience, why do we forget that I still can influence my own life, why do I forget that I don’t necessarily need to sign up for campaigns or participate in rallies to deal with our own bewilderement.. as Talwar begs & asks to be left alone to belatedly mourn his young daughter’s death, ….Talwar was not defamed by the incompetent governing authorities- it’s the AAm AAdmi in you & me, who must take the responsibility of defaming him and in the process., ourselves..