Let bygones be bygones!

The intolerance debate is raging across the country and how! And all we need to know is creating a furore has become second nature to us. Is this what we have reduced ourselves to? I cannot help but ask, ''What is more intolerant: an unwarranted and gross over-reaction or having the right to freely express a standpoint in a democracy?'' Nonetheless, we have finally managed to set the tone for the country ringing.

Since childhood, we are taught to instill a forgiving nature. Contrary to what is perceived most often, forgiveness requires sheer strength of character. Difference, be it of any degree, occurs even at the most basic level. And hence, having a thought about the world's largest democracy that thrives on a static set of opinions and principles is futile. Being democratic and secular with the intent of sailing smoothly when it comes to co-existing with a billion other people is as good as aiming to reach for the moon in a car. It is impossible! We often forget that it is the dissent that forms the cornerstone of any democracy. In the times that we are living, for the sake of creating a conflict, saying somethings are just impossible to do is not surprising enough. When things become impossible, just then I choose to quote Napolean Bonaparte out of context and ask for his world renowned 'Nothing is impossible' to be objectified.' Should I find my voice in people of a similar pedigree, then the stamp of something really being intolerant is affixed, permanently. That's exactly how the things are proceeding, currently.

Just to set the record straight, we have tolerated far more unfathomable people and actions than the ones we have not. Should one get started with the detailing of all the things that went wrong in our country, a certain Bollywood actor's claims about intolerance would cease to get a mention. I am tempted into citing one of the biggest examples that mocks our idea of intolerance. Rahul Gandhi (I cringe while talking about him), the scion of a political dynasty, has helped us set a benchmark in achieving greater levels of tolerance everytime he makes a statement. Despite a public figure being a blot on all of us, we decide to look at the brighter of our system. Another shameful act that grabbed the eyeballs sometime back was the lynching of a man on the suspicion that he had consumed beef. By indulging in such acts of violence and disenfranchisement and by labeling Muslims to be anti the Indian culture,  we are leading ourselves to darker times ahead. The nation sulked over this malicious act for a couple of days before resuming back to normalcy. What was said towards the end is, ''Let bygones be bygones!''

We are a nation of over-enthusiastic people who border on religious fanaticism and hedonism in the name of patriotism. What kind of patriotism are we trying to refer to when we pelt stones at the houses of our cricketing icons everytime India lapses? As quick as we are in celebrating and worshipping our heroes, we are indeed quicker in setting their effigies to fire. Do we see patriotism in dividing our country with the help of caste politics? Is true patriotism only restricted to posing with a broomstick for social media to show our commitment to a clean India? If this is the case, then let us commit to going back and eliminating the bygones and not recreate history, come what may.