People from across the globe are feeling more stressed, sad and emotionally low than ever. A new survey by Gallup, a US-based analytics and consulting company, studied the emotional lives of more than 154,000 people found that negative emotions have increased over the last decade, reaching a record high in 2017.
We say blah to that.
Earlier this year, India was ranked quite low (133rd out of 156 countries) on World Happiness Index 2018.
Another conspiracy by anti-nationalists to malign the country?
One can never know.
Yes, we know, the last few years have been tumultuous for the country. From eulogising murderers to supporting rapists, we have done it all. BUT one has to remember that we did all that with only the best intentions in our hearts. We Indians never wash our dirty kachchas in public. We only take giant dumps on railway tracks.
Here is a list of things that should have made us Indian VERY,VERY sad, but they didn’t. Because we are Indians and ‘grin and bear it” is our national motto.
1) Lets celebrate murderers because we can
One can sense the popularity of a certain Shambhulal Regar by the the tableau celebrating his amazing life that was taken out during Ram Navmi on March 25 . Now, a lesser known political outfit Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena has offered Regar a ticket and has also claimed that he has accepted the offer. On September 5, 2017, journalist Gauri Lankesh, a staunch critic of right wing Hindutva politics, was gunned down outside her home by unknown assailants at her home in southwest Bengaluru. Even as the media fraternity was reeling under shock, some justified and even celebrated her murder and that included the people who are followed by our prime minister.
2) Only in India, a rally in support of rapists
Last year, when Gurmeet Ram Rahim was convicted in two rape cases, supporters of the self-styled godman ran amok crippling normal life across Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. As many as 36 people died in the violence that ensued after his conviction. Earlier in April, when a 8-year-old girl was brutally raped and killed in J&K’s Kathua, public rallies were organised in support of the accused. Two BJP ministers from the state did not shy away from attending the rally organised by one Hindu Ekta Manch and publicly defending the accused. They also found support by an army of trolls on Twitter
3) Let’s shame victims because rape is always their fault
A classic case of victim shaming came into light when an independent Kerala MLA cast aspersions at a nun who filed a rape complaint against Bishop Franco Mulakkal. “No one has doubt that the nun is a prostitute. Twelve times she enjoyed it and the 13th time it is rape? Why didn’t she complain the first time? (sic),” the ‘honourable’ MLA said, according to news agency ANI. The clout bishop Mukkal enjoys in Kerala could easily be gauged by the fact that political parties in the state are yet to show their strength to seek justice for the victim.
4) Garlanding the lynch mob
The civil aviation minister Jayant Sinha recently garlanded eight men convicted in a lynching case. When he received a lot of flak for it , this was his defense: “I have full faith in our judicial system and rule of law.Unfortunately, irresponsible statements are being made about actions when all that I am doing is honouring the due process of law. Those that are innocent will be spared and the guilty will be appropriately punished.”
