The recent controversy surrounding TM Krishna made me ponder: Is there a rise in intolerance in India, or are Hindus simply becoming more vocal about disrespect toward their culture and religion?
Nirmalyam, a Malayalam movie released in 1973, showed a man spitting on the idol of a goddess. There was no controversy back then. Maybe Hindus took offence but they endured the insult. No one can dare imagine releasing a movie with such a scene now. Some might call it the death of art, but is the survival of art dependent on humiliating Hindu religious beliefs? How often do you see an Indian artist scrutinizing other religions? If we’re going to engage in this game, let’s do so fairly. Selective activism is no longer accepted or praised.
Times have changed. Hindus are no longer silent. They are defending their religion. So does this mean Hindus have become intolerant? Or does this mean they have finally found their voice under the leadership of Modi after decades of suppression? It’s a matter of perspective, but one thing is certain: Criticizing Hinduism in India now comes with greater scrutiny and potential consequences. It’s no longer forgiven as easily as before.
I recently finished reading A Hundred Little Flames by Preeti Shenoy. I bought the book assuming it would be a romantic novel (and I was proven right, but not in the way I expected). I had not taken the time to read the synopsis or reviews. I wanted the element of surprise, so I chose the book merely by looking at the title.
This is my first Preeti Shenoy book, so I was unsure what to expect. I was not looking for an ultra-cheesy romance but something wholesome and warm. I am happy to report that I got what I needed.
The main character, a young urban male residing in India, is pushed to leave his cozy job in a metro due to unprecedented situations and return to Kerala to visit his grandfather. As my base is in Kerala (Palakkad), this particular bit captured my attention. It played a major factor in my buying the book. How Preeti Shenoy beautifully narrated the ethereal, laidback beauty of a typical village in Kerala won my heart.
There are many layers to this book. And many lessons. Here are some of my observations:
As most might know, Kerala is an aging state. The youngsters are leaving for better opportunities, while the parents and the elderly are choosing to stay behind. The many anxieties of an old person living a lonely life in Kerala are explained with much sensitivity in this book. It is something I witness whenever I visit home. Apart from my family, my elderly neighbors rush to me when they need help. There is always some mobile phone, gadget, or internet-related issue to be resolved. Their doubts could be as simple as “Will my WhatsApp DP appear to everyone on my contact list? Or only those whom I chat with?” These senior citizens often hesitate to call their children for help. “They will be busy,” they tell me. So they rely on youngsters around them to help with online work like booking vaccination slots during COVID-19, registering an online complaint, etc.
When they fall sick, they usually depend on neighbors to help them reach the hospital. Their children are able to arrive only a few days later, if at all they can. Their stay often does not last beyond a week. “We don’t have any leaves left,” they say. The fact that their children are out of reach might pinch the parents a bit during such pressing times. But they endure it, saying kids should enjoy themselves and life goes on.
As a silent observer, I often see the anxiety written on their faces and their mild helplessness. There’s concern regarding whom to ask for help. I guess, when we age, we all reach such a stage.
All these elements are captured well in Preeti Shenoy’s book – the problems of the elderly. I wonder if she has stayed with a senior citizen for an extended period, as only such people get to experience what an elderly goes through on a day-to-day basis.
Apart from this, I also immensely enjoyed the sweet, poetic love story depicted in the book. It caught me by surprise. The story was delicately told, and the characters were perfectly etched out. A warm romance with many layers, where the couple engages in a striking serenade of comforting words. The book shows how love is not always a straight, perfect line. It can be complex and unpredictable, hurtful even. Yet, love persists. The book captures this complexity brilliantly. It has an old-world charm to it. I am of the impression it would make a great movie.
I would definitely recommend buying the book. It is engaging from page one, and it will hook you into a world that is peaceful, and bright, yet somber and bittersweet all at the same time.
There are two ways to check your MP’s contribution to your constituency in India.
MPLADs
In India, we have something called the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds. These funds are allocated to MPs for development projects in their respective constituencies. By tracking this data, you can check whether your MP’s words match his actions.
To track MPLADs fund utilization, you can go to the MPLADS website and generate MP-wise statements.
Please note there might be a lag in the data presented on the website. This means the data might not be the latest. However, you can get an inkling of how much funds were utilized by the MP for the development of your constituency.
I wish the website also displayed the exact work the MP did. Unfortunately, there is no way to know.
MP’s Performance in Parliament
Another highly useful website to check your MP’s performance in parliament is the PRS Website. You can search for your Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha MP and analyze his parliamentary activity, attendance, questions raised, etc.
Tip
If you have difficulty understanding any of the terms used in the websites, use an AI bot like ChatGPT or Gemini to explain the terms to you.
Here’s to more informed voting!
If you use any other website to analyze an MP’s performance, let us know in the comments section below.
Sidharth was found dead at a college campus in Wayanad. The police initially downplayed things and declared that it was death by suicide. It was when a few friends visited Sidharth’s dad and emotionally told him there was more to the issue than what meets the eye that things started falling to light.
A post-mortem was conducted. Several attack wounds were found on Sidharth’s body. His stomach was found empty, indicating he had not eaten (or was not allowed to eat) for a day (or more). There were wounds on his neck, which experts say is unusual in a typical case of suicidal hanging (reference).
SFI students were found guilty of torturing Sidharth. He was stripped to his underwear, beaten mercilessly to exhaustion, had his phone taken away so he couldn’t contact anyone, and left without food and water (allegedly for days).
Why Was Sidharth Tortured?
Why SFI members in the Wayanad campus tortured Sidharth is unknown. Many stories are floating online:
Some SFI members say Sidharth was involved in a sexual molestation case (which was filed days after his death). SFI has been using that reason to justify the beatings and wounds.
Yet some others say it’s a severe case of ragging. However, which student faces ragging in his second year?
Some say it is because he proposed to a Muslim girl on Valentine’s Day. Prominent personalities, like the Governor of Kerala, have constantly accused SFI of harboring members of the PFI (a banned terrorist group) (reference). PFI (like ISIS) is said to be strictly against men from other communities pursuing Muslim women. They are said to “school” such people violently so that no one else would dare to commit such a “sin” again.
Then there are others who say it was a case of jealousy. The boys around Sidharth apparently did not like his growing popularity.
One section of the media says Sidharth was beaten up simply because he danced with senior female batchmates on Valentine’s Day.
However, nothing justifies his death. No student deserves to be brutally tortured this way, no matter what the issue.
Arrest of SFI Members
All SFI members accused of torturing Sidharth have been arrested (details).
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, is painfully silent. The champion of free speech and democracy has nothing to say about the issue. No condolences, no visits to Sidharth’s parents, and no strict actions against the SFI cadre. Why? Because his own student party is involved. If other parties had committed the same crime, he would have been the first person to thrash them.
Students in Kerala are scared to speak up against SFI. They wish to complete their studies in peace. It took a few North Indian students to report this case to the police. Only one Malayalee girl so far has been brave enough to come forward (details), requesting anonymity, condemning the SFI members of their crime. She revealed with tears how even friends turned foes and acted like vultures preying on the victim. She said she was scared, which is why she didn’t speak up sooner.
The same youngsters who are quick to criticize BJP and RSS maintain pin-drop silence when SFI/CPM is involved. This is concrete proof of the unprecedented authority SFI/CPM commands in Kerala – people are scared to criticize them. This stands in contrast to the type of authoritarianism attributed to the BJP, as criticism of the BJP does not evoke fear among the populace.
The Kerala Story
It is saddening that students in Kerala are threatened and bullied by party goons and are stopped from speaking against injustice.
How can parents send their kids to a college in Kerala with peace of mind if even our Chief Minister turns a blind eye to crimes in the state? Pinarayi has come up with many reforms to improve education, but why isn’t he focusing on the safety and security on college campuses? Why doesn’t his government take strict actions against SFI members who commit crimes as soon as he hears such news that is backed by concrete evidence? It took the governor, Mr Arif Khan, to suspend the VC after he was found incompetent to ensure decorum in the Wayanad campus.
SFI seems to have autonomy in many colleges. They are the only party present because they don’t allow the formation of other parties. Is this democracy? Is this freedom of speech?
Kerala is not the perfect peaceful state as it is portrayed to be.
Justice for Sidharth
How far will this case go? Will it be buried from the limelight in a few months? Will Sidharth’s parents get justice?
It’s heartbreaking to see his father’s emotional, tear-laden eyes in news channel discussions, while the SFI members watch on impassively without an iota of regret or compassion. Instead of defending their party, SFI and CPM members should be focusing on how to prevent such incidents in the future. Their lack of accountability is infuriating.
Congress party members, especially the Youth Wing, have shown remarkable solidarity by organizing marches against SFI and CPM in Kerala. In my opinion, Congress and other parties should call for the ouster of CPM from the I.N.D.I.A block until they ensure all criminals involved in Sidharth’s death are sentenced to several years of non-bailable imprisonment. They shouldn’t be released on meager grounds, which the CPM is capable of doing once the election is done and dusted. Many have lost hope in the state government. They don’t expect a fair trial.
BJP and RSS have been disappointingly absent. BJP members have supported Sidharth, but it is not the aggressive type we would have expected out of them. To win in Kerala, they must step up, be on the ground, and fight for causes with vigor. They should openly show solidarity, walk with the people, and address their issues.
Social Media Awareness
Social media is uncomfortably silent about this issue. Many in India would have fought for Sidharth if they knew there was a problem. But they aren’t aware because the media is not reporting the issue enough, and people in Kerala are scared to speak up about it. The ruling party in Kerala also knows how to cover up and downplay issues with lies and excuses, which their leftist supporters endorse without question.
I would request all political parties, whether the left or the right, and their supporters to forget their ideological & political differences and unite to fight against such crimes in Kerala. Only then will there be faith and forgiveness, a feeling of safety and security.
I wish I could link an explainer video for those unaware of Sidharth’s case. But sadly, no mainstream English-speaking or Hindi-speaking YouTuber, like Dhruv Rathee or Soch by Mohak Mangal, has covered this issue. More people should speak up so that no other student here again faces this kind of crime.
If you are a Keralite who prefers not to speak against political parties, I would advise you to use the most powerful tool in your possession – your vote – to express your disappointment. Similar crimes have happened way too often in Kerala, and we keep forgiving them. We should stop being lenient.
If you wish to learn more about Sidharth’s case, search for #JusticeForSidharth or #JusticeForSidharthan on Twitter or Facebook. Here’s hoping you would lend your voice to this fight against injustice.
The Monkey Dilemma 
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