#Meatban
I am a proud vegetarian. I remember that once I had consumed a piece of cake that was not eggless which I realised after I had ate it. So I can't boast myself of being a 'pure' vegetarian. Well, unlike the possibility of someone being a pure vegetarian, unfortunately there is no chance someone can be a pure non vegetarian. But I have observed they are mostly proud of being a non veggie. Thats interestingly amazing.
I am reminded of a conversation I had with one such proud n-v in a colleague's farewell party. It was a gathering of 30+ team members. I was the odd one out amongst all the other n-v loving colleagues. One of the senior realised that and tried to embark a conversation.
With a smile on face and hiding an intent to punch him, I said "Well I am a vegetarian. Its by force as much as by choice"
He--- Well,You cannot be both at once. You are missing something and you cant realize. (Multiplied his pride this time)
I---In thoughts (Shut up your blabbering, I asked for none.)
With a smile on face and hiding an intent to punch him, I decided to stay silent and cut short this conversation.
How would that senior have reacted/replied if I were to suggest him not to consume n-v the way he tried to advise me trying for it. The same way as I wanted to. With an outrage. This outrage is what we just got to come across in the name of #meatban in Mumbai. There was a rule passed by Mumbai court long back that while the Jain community have their 'Paryushan parv' their will be a ban of slaughtering and selling of meat in some localities in Mumbai. Earlier it was for 2 days which was changed to 4 days ban. This became a news just before 'Paryushan parv' and a huge furore across the country shot up. Many people castigated this rule stating this is the breach of freedom in a free democratic country like india and that its Jain appeasement policy of the government.
I was following this closely on Twitter. Shashi Tharoor, Pritish Nandy, Chetan Bhagat, Barkha Dutt etc all had the same view that its not right to impose a religious belief on someone else. To my surprise, I read an article from where the author mentioned this as a non violent terrorism. Something terrifying and new to digest.
Some tweets from Chetan Bhagat stated -
"Our forefathers worked hard to get us freedom. Don't give it up so easily just because a particular ban suits your taste"
"How can a cosmopolitan city in a secular republic ban meat on certain days decided by a particular religion"
Tweets like "My Plate my choice" and "Ban the Ban" also became a trend.
I totally agree with the fact that its like imposing someone's belief on someone else. Clearly state power has been used to make people follow some belief they might not want to follow. Taking away the freedom of choice from someone. Evidently non democratic.
Unfortunately I never had Civics in my school curriculum. I faintly remember the phrase "to the people for the people by the people" something a cousin was reciting while learning a civics lesson (might be wrong). A people centric constitution. Truly, this is sad. Its people biased. Are only humans living in this planet? The other living beings and their life means nothing? How is this a Human Right to slaughter and eat another creature. That too for primarily appeasing/pleasing of our taste buds? How sick is this apparently that while all the educated people are debating over the ban, underneath its the life of other creatures thats at stake everyone seems to care least about. Laughably, no one was there to represent the animal clan and express their grief while News channels were conducting debates on the #meatban.
Why has no news channel conducted shows for the dry days on some calendar days or on state wide alcohol ban ever. How will people react if they get to know that for example a particular species is banned to be sold/ate because its getting extinct for instance Tuna Fish. Will they behave in similar fashion? Because in either case its the taste bud thats being deprived.
Wonder this #meatban outrage has been so because of the fact that a particular religion was the triggering factor. Wonder how beautiful would it have been if it were just that ok, we honour the beliefs of another faith and so its fine for 5-7 days just to show unity in diversity and support towards each other. But this is democracy and people have a right to express their disapproval. This was done against #meatban by two women who cooked meat outside a Jain temple in Mumbai. Hilariously ridiculous.
In democracy, everyone is right. So forgetting the slaughtering and pain of animals and wrong done to them and coming back to the reality that I am a citizen of a democratic country, the ban should be removed. Probably it should come from the people on their own to voluntarily avoid meat on the specific dates for the people who feel it would be better for them for a rare few days. No imposition should happen as per humans its not right.
I am reminded of a conversation I had with one such proud n-v in a colleague's farewell party. It was a gathering of 30+ team members. I was the odd one out amongst all the other n-v loving colleagues. One of the senior realised that and tried to embark a conversation.
He--- "Oh, what raw food you are eating. I feel so pity for you." (Pride on his face, simultaneously devouring a leg piece.)
I--- In thoughts (I totally understand its the taste that keeps people go crazy for n-v food stuff but that sentence I just heard from you is totally annoying. You just said 'pity')With a smile on face and hiding an intent to punch him, I said "Well I am a vegetarian. Its by force as much as by choice"
He--- Well,You cannot be both at once. You are missing something and you cant realize. (Multiplied his pride this time)
I---In thoughts (Shut up your blabbering, I asked for none.)
With a smile on face and hiding an intent to punch him, I decided to stay silent and cut short this conversation.
How would that senior have reacted/replied if I were to suggest him not to consume n-v the way he tried to advise me trying for it. The same way as I wanted to. With an outrage. This outrage is what we just got to come across in the name of #meatban in Mumbai. There was a rule passed by Mumbai court long back that while the Jain community have their 'Paryushan parv' their will be a ban of slaughtering and selling of meat in some localities in Mumbai. Earlier it was for 2 days which was changed to 4 days ban. This became a news just before 'Paryushan parv' and a huge furore across the country shot up. Many people castigated this rule stating this is the breach of freedom in a free democratic country like india and that its Jain appeasement policy of the government.
I was following this closely on Twitter. Shashi Tharoor, Pritish Nandy, Chetan Bhagat, Barkha Dutt etc all had the same view that its not right to impose a religious belief on someone else. To my surprise, I read an article from where the author mentioned this as a non violent terrorism. Something terrifying and new to digest.
Some tweets from Chetan Bhagat stated -
"Our forefathers worked hard to get us freedom. Don't give it up so easily just because a particular ban suits your taste"
"How can a cosmopolitan city in a secular republic ban meat on certain days decided by a particular religion"
Tweets like "My Plate my choice" and "Ban the Ban" also became a trend.
I totally agree with the fact that its like imposing someone's belief on someone else. Clearly state power has been used to make people follow some belief they might not want to follow. Taking away the freedom of choice from someone. Evidently non democratic.
Unfortunately I never had Civics in my school curriculum. I faintly remember the phrase "to the people for the people by the people" something a cousin was reciting while learning a civics lesson (might be wrong). A people centric constitution. Truly, this is sad. Its people biased. Are only humans living in this planet? The other living beings and their life means nothing? How is this a Human Right to slaughter and eat another creature. That too for primarily appeasing/pleasing of our taste buds? How sick is this apparently that while all the educated people are debating over the ban, underneath its the life of other creatures thats at stake everyone seems to care least about. Laughably, no one was there to represent the animal clan and express their grief while News channels were conducting debates on the #meatban.
Why has no news channel conducted shows for the dry days on some calendar days or on state wide alcohol ban ever. How will people react if they get to know that for example a particular species is banned to be sold/ate because its getting extinct for instance Tuna Fish. Will they behave in similar fashion? Because in either case its the taste bud thats being deprived.
Wonder this #meatban outrage has been so because of the fact that a particular religion was the triggering factor. Wonder how beautiful would it have been if it were just that ok, we honour the beliefs of another faith and so its fine for 5-7 days just to show unity in diversity and support towards each other. But this is democracy and people have a right to express their disapproval. This was done against #meatban by two women who cooked meat outside a Jain temple in Mumbai. Hilariously ridiculous.
In democracy, everyone is right. So forgetting the slaughtering and pain of animals and wrong done to them and coming back to the reality that I am a citizen of a democratic country, the ban should be removed. Probably it should come from the people on their own to voluntarily avoid meat on the specific dates for the people who feel it would be better for them for a rare few days. No imposition should happen as per humans its not right.
Please watch introduction part of this:
ReplyDeletehttp://m.ndtv.com/video/player/prime-time/prime-time-controversy-over-meet-ban-in-mumbai/382409
Whether to eat meat or not is a different topic. But ban on this? Seriously?
Would you accept for a group to ban sell of vegetables and milk for few days in their holy period? Atheist and theist should try not to interfere with each other believes. Same for vegetarians and omnivores.