This morning Academic and journalist , Rajiv Lochan Sah, shared a Facebook update as to how he felt lifted after knowing that Professor Shekhar Pathak has returned his Padma award at Nainital Film Festival.

The reason for returning the Padma Shree bestowed by Indian Government, is in protest of rising intolerance in the country.

Within seconds, a section of people online started calling Professor Shekhar Pathak as Fake Litterateur (in Hindi "Farji Sahityakar") and the act politically motivated.

This is the height of intolerance, when the moment one disagrees with someone, such strong words are started being used. That too, when what Professor Pathak has done is return a Padma Sree award! An award which he could have silently retained in his drawing room showcase, if he had wished to do so.

Disagreement can Exist... 

We may agree or disagree with someone.

We may like or dislike Chetan Bhagat's stance on the issue of Government Award Returns.

We may have different stands on issues, but the moment we start abusing someone simply because, we see his/her act and utterances as politically motivated, and arising from nothing but politics, then it is the height of intolerance. And this must not happen in a democracy.

Some among you will have your arguments regarding democracy; and would be more inclined towards India becoming a Hindu State (the country's official religion is Hindu). Just to dissuade such thinking, I want to ask you a simple question: Try recalling (remembering) the person who you can't stand, simply because you feel, he/she has done some wrong things in your life and is continually doing such wrong things! Unnecessarily making your life a Uneasy!

I'm sure, the person who would come to your brain would not not be someone who's a Christian or Muslim or a Sikh; but someone who's within your family, extended family, friend circle, neighbor etc.

I'm also sure, not only he/she will be from your own religion, but also from your own region and even from your own caste.

This happens with all of us. Unless someone belongs to a minority.

Since most people from majority, never get a chance to live among -- Muslims, Christians, Sikhs -- it will be hard to find a person from other religion, causing us a real pain in the neck (means a "real cause of trouble and hardships in Life").

On a lighter note, I explain the phenomenon as : Earning money on Internet or from blogging. Those who claim that one can make real money online; and that too with least effort; often quote some friend's brother's wife's friend earning big money on Web. It's like, narrating an incident where some encountered Ghost.

If, Religious States are Happy and prosperous, then Pakistan would have been a Heaven!

A Better approach

A better way to react to such award returns is to see Shekhar Pathak's Padma Shree Return as his personal choice. If we agree with his reasons, then we can support him. But calling a person a fake, is not good. That too when he has devoted his life to books. The test of every such Litterateur who returned his/her award is that he/she must not accept it again. If the pen is mightier then the sword, then a person should abide by his word.

Before calling any poet, writer, scientist, academic or some Joe (means a common man) a fake; or someone who's pushing fiction as fact; is to ask Self one Question: Do my personal Experience conform to what I'm being told?

This works all the time.

Shailesh Matiyani...

Recently I got the opportunity to visit Herbertpur, Dehradun. There I saw a Government Inter College having a wall dedicated to Shailesh Matiyani.

It was a welcome sight; as though I had heard about Shailesh Matiyani's book "From Boriville to Bori Bandar"; I have not read the book. I only know Boriville and Boridandar are two Local Railway Stations in Mumbai, where Local Trains in Mumbai Ply. May be Mr. Matiyani had lived there, at some point in his life.

Thus, I don't know what political bent Shailesh Matiyani had, but I do know one thing, he read and wrote books. Frankly speaking, if I happen to read his book someday, then I'll simply look for facts and fiction based on my simplistic brain.

But irrespective of what opinion I make about Shailesh Matiyani's Academy, I will not go into frenzied mode. As I know beef is served to rich buyers in Five Star hotels in India; and both Muslims and non-muslims consume it.

I'm content with wearing a leather shoe on my feet and placing a leather purse in my trouser pocket. I'm content with consuming buffalo milk as well. But I'm happy to see a big section of Indians having the same contentment as I have...

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