Some thoughts on the recent “controversy” Gautam Gambhir’s tweet.
The tweet in question:
The reaction to this tweet by journalists in the mainstream media is duplicity and two-facedness personified. What Gambhir portrayed the Indian Flag as - in a very aggressive manner, as a symbol of anger, that of a warning, may not be palatable to all. There might be people who are genuinely distressed and angered by the comparison of the white colour in our flag representing a shroud. However, the calls for Gambhir to be charged with sedition for offending the dignity of the flag by eminent journalists just goes on to show how patently misguided they are about the law of the country regarding sedition. Not only that, they have exposed their double standards — if you react or go against the narrative that had been peddled by the Secular-Liberal-Left, and god forbid, you describe yourself as a Nationalist you will be hated on.
These same journalists are those who said that students who protested in JNU should not be charged with sedition for a million different reasons.
I encourage all of these journalists and the SLLs who agree with these views to actually read up section 124Aof the Indian Penal Code. The offense create disaffection and hatred against the Government of India, not causing offense by degrading the flag of India are devaluing it’s dignity.
But to expect nuance or understanding for what the person has said is something that Indians lack, and even more so from the left, who is quick to name, brand and shame anyone.
The hypocrisy of these journalists and their cheering brigade can be best expressed by how they Bought in the JNU protests, and argued that of those students are charged for sedition,then Gautam Gambhir should be charged as well. Very clearly, however, Gambhir is not creating disaffection against the Government if India, or the State, rather he is invoking a symbol of the state and representing it in an aggressive, but distasteful manner against the enemies of the state. The very structure of his tweet makes that it clear; “Anti-Indians should also remember that” unless you’re looking to see him interpreting the flag as singular symbol of hate. But in an hyper partisan environment of Twitter, one would not look at things in perspective, with understanding. Apparently, even those with immense dispensation and repute.
They are quick to bring in the JNU Comparison and invite sedition charges on Gambhir, without understanding of the Law or what he said.
But what, pray, are the students in JNU accused of doing? Actively calling for the death and destruction of the country (“Bharat Tere Tukede hoge”), supporting secessionism, (even that of Kerala), raising slogans supporting convicted terrorists.
Whether or not they are guilty is up to the courts of the country, but from the information we have of the incidents, we know for a fact that what happened in JNU is deplorable, and that it in no way is a comparison to a tweet which maybe distasteful in nature.
Those who feel that the flag was represented as a symbol for hatred also clearly do not get the point. Gambhir is speaking of the hatred of Terrorism, hatred of indignity dished out to our armed forces. If Bharat stands against the hatred of such causes, then that is something we should be proud of. But to understand and enunciate will be hard, isn’t it ?
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