SRK Vs SENA…Star Power Vs Ideology

The SRK Vs Sena has kept the Mumbai public busy over the last few days. Letting them forget about other day-to-day issues.

People standing behind SRK’s Freedom of Speech was good to see. Some might call it as a stand for values of democracy. How many of them have exercised their own rights and stood by it? After all, it is some of us who have greased the palms of individuals in various walks of life to get our work done. For generations people have not stood up for their rights and silently have grown corruption. What a shame that we are ready to support SRK and yet do not stand up for ourselves.

What is wrong and right with reference SRK Vs SENA has been thoroughly hyped and elaborated in all forms of Media. Has the successful release of MNIK resolved all these issues?

SRK, a powerful movie star with great fan following all around the world, has of late chosen to open his mind through his tongue. I would not call his fans as fanatics Viz-a-Viz the fan following a Mega Star Chiranjeevi or NTR or MGR or Superstar Rajnikanth might have, down south. If such a stance was taken by any political party or outfit in Tamil Nadu or Andhra, the fans would have taken the laws in their own hands and shut the political party or outfit. Thank god things did not happen like that in Mumbai.

What can SRK and SENA do from hereon? And what can we as public do from hereon?

SRK has a great fan following and he should be utilizing this fan base to convey the correct message and be a good cultural ambassador of India. His fan-following is for his Screen image and not his IPL outing.

When I first heard SRK talk about the IPL issues, I felt two things; firstly, that there was some force in action, which actually stopped IPL Franchisees from picking Pak Players; secondly I thought SRK was trying to tell his Pak Fans and Pak Cricketers that he is the good guy. If it was a business decision, he should have expressed it properly and handled it better.

Any statement made by SRK is likely to have an influence with his fans. SRK might have thought that he was spreading a message to his fans that we should not develop hatred with our neighbors and be open to finding a cordial relationship. But he should also have condemned strongly at the various terrorist activities taking place in India. What is bothering is that he is very selective and co-incidentally all of them have come with reference to Pakistanis or Pakistan.

SRK should structure his Fan clubs properly and guide them in organizing Programs and activities which would help the needy and also spread the feeling of patriotism without creating any hatred against any country, state or community.

I heard a little bit about the Village he has adopted and the developments he has made. I have not read much about it in any media. Hence, do not know if it is true. If he has really adopted a village, he should have been talking more about it and create awareness of good things that can be done. He should be really utilizing his Stardom to propagate his model village and create awareness among people that backwardness can be removed in India. He could even start an Organization and raise funds. Imran Khan used his stardom in generating funds for his Cancer Hospital, Glenn Mcgrath is doing it. Many Australian Cricketers have raised funds that too for Indian Cause. Why not people like SRK? After-all this Stardom is given by the people and there is nothing wrong in giving back something.

He is a Star and should act more responsibly when in public domain. Sensitive issues should be addressed diplomatically or avoided. A simple question that comes to my mind, why SRK-KJO did not shift the release date and buy time to resolve this issue. Look at the cost to the Government in protecting the Cinemas plus the unnecessary anxiety and fear caused to the Public in Mumbai.

Utilizing the position and the Fan Base in the right way and creating positivity about the future of India can be done easily by stars like SRK.

SENA can claim victory, as expected. I do not recollect Sena ever accepting defeat. In a way, I too agree that Sena came out victorious in the last week. They came out in flying colours when Sharad Pawar went running to them requesting to remove the threat on Australian cricketers. Sena also won when they rekindled the sena activities and brought them back in the streets. Now the Sena knows exactly how effective they still are and how many followers have they got still. This assessment would not have been possible for them without this incident. So, in these two aspects, Sena has won.

Sena has many issues to worry than SRKs statement. If they are worried about Marati Manoos, first they need clarify who is a Marati Manoos. Is it some one whose mother tongue is Marati or some one who can speak Marati or some one who is born in Maharastra?

I for one, born in Tamil Nadu with mother tongue as Marati and married to my wonderful wife from Sholapur. By the grace of god, I can speak Marati, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, English and Arabic. I do not like to be called a Tamilian or Marati Manoos. I like the title Indian. I work in Saudi Arabia and people here identify every Indian as Indian. When people abroad look at all of us as Indians, why can’t we within India look at each other the same way.

Coming back to what Sena can do. If they are concerned about protecting the Mumbaikars they should open Institutions which can teach technical and vocational skills to locals and make them competitive. If they are worried about the Marati Manoos, they should be involved in creating industries, generating jobs, removing poverty, counseling Farmers and avoiding suicides. They cannot simply request people to bring them to power to achieve all this. They should start working for the people with whatever they have, to earn their votes and their respect.

If Pakistan has got terrorist who are targeting India, should we brand all Pakistanis as Terrorist? Going by this theory, Orissa, West Bengal and many other states have got Maoist who are targeting India from being within, should the people of these states be called as Terrorist?

Sena needs to play constructive politics and guide their cadre properly to carry out activities that would make the people of Maharastra proud.

We the people need to be consistent with our Principles and first stand up for our values and Principles. Being tolerant and silent against all injustice done towards us and standing up for others values or views is ridiculous. When the public of Mumbai can defy all odds and go and watch MNIK, can’t they be united and push for a Good Governance in the State. Why the Mumbaikars did not stand up when the North Indians were attacked? Was it out of Fear? Was it because the Mumbaikars also share the views of MNS?

The Public has to understand that no political party can ignore the public protest. Protests should not be construed as use of force. A human chain, peaceful march, Mass Signature petitions, etc are some of the ways in which we can protest. The same can be used to solidarity towards good causes. The power of people was well illustrated by Mahatma Gandhi.

Stardom is reached by actors because of Public and Political Parties come to power because of the Public. We have the power to change. Lets act more responsibly and stand by the values and principles of democracy and justice always.