When the bulletins with stories on the front cover of WhatsApp Data release were making rounds, Twitter was also being dragged to the court by Center, Doctors' associations were planning to hold nationwide protest against Ramdev's pseudoscience. S Jaishankar was about to chair BRICS foreign ministers meeting.
WhatsApp took the matter of breach of privacy of it's users to court question the governments order of revealing the origin or the messages and tracking the sender information.
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Ram Kishan Yadav aka Ramdev's pseudoscience and his claims to cure diseases, even corona virus infection with his concoctions have turned out to be hoax and doctors have protested against his false claims that are misleading and not based on scientific evidence.
1,300 doctors sacrificed their lives till now. IMA launches fresh tirade against Ramdev and his 1,300 doctors sacrificed their lives': IMA launches fresh tirade against Ramdev and his false claims related to vaccines and demanded to deem his remarks as "sedition" and prosecute him under Disaster Management Act.
Doctors are new enemy for Ramdev, biggest anti-vaxxer and tax evader in the country? He doesn’t need vaccine, as he mostly remains high on yoga and Ayurveda.
Now, Supreme Court is to define limits of what constitutes sedition over media's freedom being muzzled. Sections 124A and 153A being slapped on activists and dissenters alike who protest against authorities. Within four years, from 2016 to 2019, cases on activists increased by 160%, according to National Crime Records Bureau while conviction rate dropped from 33.3% to 3.3%. Stats speak for itself because those who speak up, end up behind the bars for life in India as the legal grounds here reek of sycophancy and corruption.
Overwhelming news headlines, left the Month of May, wondering about itself and also about what went wrong with India's vaccination strategy. The digital divide went deeper when the government announced that all vaccines registration will be done online, through app CO-Win (sounds more like the theme for next national elections than vaccine registration platform), stranding the individuals from poor and marginalised communities. The added biases of preferring 45+ for the vaccines while leaving the 18+ group who suffered a jolt after second wave of corona is worth questioning. Even the affordability and availability of the vaccines is in question now.
'Digital Divide Will Have Serious Implications On Right To Equality & Health': Supreme Court On CoWIN Portal which isn't even accessible to rural population, even with people having disabilities or comorbidities. Discrepancies also include cases where immunized people are not receiving the certificates while those not vaccinated are getting one.
Also, Kerala government stated in state assembly, how after curbing the voices in Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre is now targeting Lakshadweep. Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel, lawmaker from ruling party systemically targeting Lakshadweep's residents by proposing controversial legislations ranging from beef ban, promoting liquor sale in Union territory having majority Muslim population. While the first law proposes land acquisition, the second permits illegal detention of any individual found as a threat to island's security, Ban on cow slaughter and preventive detention law in Island with low crime rate? Cows are safer in India than individuals with a voice and sane mind who are seen as a 'threat to internal security.'
Local residents of Lakshadweep protesting against government decision of land grab, illegal arrests and beef ban.
Social media platforms are being forced to comply to the rules, including identification of "first originator" of "unlawful" content whenever government demands. After snooping and surveillance of human right activists and dalit scholars resulting in their unbailable stay in prisons, such 'new rules' are arming the regime with new weapons for muzzling citizens freedom. WhatsApp after being a lapdog of the ruling party has now challenged the traceability requirement in the court citing it breaches the right to privacy of users. Sword is still hanging over Twitter' head.
Besides the conundrum in our country, our neighbours are also grabbing some media attention. Four consecutive years of declining births have prompted the dictatorial ruling party in China, CCP introduced a three-child policy. Can't say, if it's due to flopped 2-child policy or massive death due to corona or mass cleansing of it's own population who spoke about the government failure, the burden will shift on women. Women with careers, who prioritise marriage after stabilising in their fields will find it difficult to manage, due to piled up pressure, ever prevalent societal constraints and now government propaganda. No country for women if we are only seen as child knocking machines.
June already arrived and we were still grappling with mental health issues due to pandemic, dealing with apocalyptic isolation, when within a week we witnessed Tennis World hit by Su'Naomi' wave. Naomi Osaka withdrew from Roland Garros after being fined with $15,000 and being threatened with disqualification, when she refused to carry out 'mandatory' news conference. She had decided against taking part in any media activity to safeguard her mental health. French tennis federation head's response wasn't very cool after the incident. On one hand they've slapped her with a hefty fine, on the other hand (with all brazenness) they released an official statement (more of a backhanded comment) that said -
"We look forward to having Naomi in our tournament next year. We remain very 'committed' to all athletes well-being and to continually improving every aspect of players' 'experience' in our tournament, including with the media, like we have always strived to do."
Sorry! President, your actions contradict the words you've released on behalf of your federation. Threatening the player by calling her decision to prioritise her mental health and inner peace , as a 'phenomenal error' in her career. The white men with utmost callousness and I'll intent leave no opportunity to harass her, not only mentally but also indulging in her character assassination, vilifying her move and taking away her authority of self protection, from a champion sportsperson, right in front of media and the world. The four Grand Slams shouldn't have threatened her in their joint response. Their one-upmanship, sense of entitlement and privileges is shameful.
I think, we should remember the clip of a hostile exchange between an interviewer and young Venus Williams and the one of Marshawn Lynch repeatedly answering journalists questions when he replied “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”
The blatant voyeurism shown by insensitive media houses is evident, how they want to see athletes crumble and break down into tears and putting them repeatedly on a pedestal, not even giving them a chance to lead normal social lives, all while facing intense scrutiny and pressure.
Media has a right to ask questions, to press coverages, but a person too has a right to protect themselves when confronted with a crisis. Moreover, we all are aware how the media proceeds with the questions when confronting high profile athletes. After the initial few questions about their game, It's more about personal life, their hookups, controversial statements and appearances in the past. To threaten expulsion for choosing to not speak to the media, disrespect her contribution to the game as a global athlete.
Such a culture that doesn't always provide athletes the support they seek in times of mental distress and harasses them when they try to speak up for themselves, in their most vulnerable and raw emotional state, needs a revision.
Legendary tennis icon Serena Williams, expressed her support to Naomi by saying she too had to face media during some difficult moments of her life.
Naomi Osaka, standing as U.S. Open champion and first-time grand slam winner, pushed her visor down to cover her eyes, and cried heavily. She had just played outstanding tennis against her idol, Serena Williams, and she had won. But the shameless crowd was booing loudly. Williams arm were around Osaka’s shoulders and hugging her tightly. Osaka's victory was overshadowed by the battle between Williams and chair umpire Carlos Ramos. Ramos called a series of violations against Williams, resulting in game penalty at crucial moment during finals of grand slam proving the inheritance of gender inequity within the sport. The punishment was “sexist" lot more harsh than male players. Umpires are often seen giving informal warnings, sometimes no warnings, no leeway, no soft landing, telling the woman that resist as much as you want but this is what you deserve! why? because she is a woman, a proud Black Woman!
Though the support came after huge outcry, it's good to see Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, Kyrie Irving of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, gymnast Laurie Hernandez, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love, WNBA star Elizabeth Cambage, backing Naomi's mental health revelation including prominent athletes of color - Stephen Curry, Venus and Serena. Osaka, who has Japanese mother and Haitian American father, drew headlines last year when she wore the names of Black victims of police brutality on her face masks during U.S. Open. Racial discrimination in sports can't be ignored in her case, the way she's demonised for being woke and vocal about systemic racism and police brutality. In 2020 Western & Southern Open (a warm up for the U.S. Open) was suspended after Osaka decided to default her semifinal match in protest of police violence.
Once Irving and now Osaka both had expressed through protest and outright declarations about how much George Floyd's death affected them, while the media portals in all self indulgences, carried headlines like, "Kyrie Irving's Excuse on Why He Missed Thursday's Game: 'I Just Didn't Want to Play'"?
Memorial in loving memory of George Floyd who suffered police brutality and died succumbing to his injuries. Family and supporters paid respect at his memorial by leaving placards with prayers and slogans.
Black lives matter movement is getting stronger. The resistance to police brutality, gun violence, systemic racism is not slowing down now.
Irving was nearly pelted with a water bottle by a fan(read as anti fans) once for not being in his best form and dealing with severe anxiety. I hope we aren't waiting to see the day when someone's suffering takes the form of clinical mental health disorders or one has to get picked up from the road side and checked into a rehabilitation facility. The visuals can be heartbreaking for their loved ones and leave the one who's suffering, scarred for the rest of their lives.
When Naomi posted online about suffering long periods of depression and how the post-match media inquests were no different than “kicking people when they are down” she also opened up about it's detrimental effect on her mental health and how she had a hard time coping with the reality.
No doubt, if an outstanding athlete of Naomi's stature, four-time Grand Slam title winner has to face such a treatment what ordinary women trying to excel and make the world feel their presence, have to face on daily basis. From sexul harassment to severe form of bullying. From devious gaslighting to mean behaviour, negative aggression to cancel culture.
Also makeshift mental health lookalike programs run by corporate giants aren't helping at all. Appointing a psychologist to a nondescript panel, holding weekly group sessions for meditation and chanting 'Om' and 'Nah-maas-tay', sending out weekly emails and newsletters ordering employees to ‘destress’, preaching 'work life balance’, occasionally dissing them and telling them to shut up and ‘relax’. Pretending to band aid scars infected by their own organisational set up is indeed a laughable cover up.
I strongly condemn such horrendous treatment to women and people who suffer health issues, who are repeatedly targeted at their workplace. As women or even men who support women's existence and success in her field, we stand in solidarity with sportsperson for raising their voice on toxic work culture. The larger question here must be, are we leaving our sports players fending for themselves if we aren't questioning the diktats of sports federations and organisations who hardly see women as strong peers, specially from mixed race, from black communities and people of colour. When a top woman athlete speaks for her mental health in light of her working experience, she's speaking for children and young people from our families who'll be raising the bar high and bring laurels for our country.
If there is no moral support for prioritising their psychological health and fitness, no backing for their free expression of thoughts, how do you expect that they will sustain in the arena for too long? If they constantly feel vulnerable, targeted, unable to keep up with their inner self, believe me! hundreds of trophies and medals, enormously lovable fans, media attention or endorsements will be nothing but dust for the athletes.
I think, if bullying is left unchallenged, it will get imprinted in the minds of every budding sports player and the privileged whites dominant in the west and upper caste majoritarians in the east will transform it into legitimate, validated but hideous rule book, on how every novice player of color, those from immigrants, underprivileged backgrounds, will be treated in future. This is what is happening now and that's what kept happening in the past. But guess what? It's time to change, not the rules of the game but the entire rulebook needs to be replaced as it is functionally redundant, with archaic or obsolete terms and set with a colonial, racist and castiest mindset, if it doesn't have athletes and their health at it's epicenter.
Naomi Osaka with her champions trophy after winning the Australian open 2021. The sky looked brighter that day.
Also, Tokyo Olympics are round the corner. Pandemic might have delayed them but in a country like Japan where icons are cultural role models, it tends to place burden on athletes with unreasonably rigid standards, from hairstyles to personal lives they are expected to act a certain way and mould into a particular box, adding to their stress and mental burden. We must not forget, approx one-third of athletes suffer at some point of life from depression, anxiety, eating disorders and burnout. With added burden of dealing with personal questions, stigma related to ethnicity, gender issues, Black Lives Matter, Asian hate on surge during and before the pandemic, it will leave anyone on the verge of complete breakdown.
I hope, she does not have to carry the weight of this brutality for too long. As she did something that is courageous, timely and progressive. I would say,
Dear Naomi, you don't owe anyone, including the press, the brands, the federations, an apology. In fact, it's they who owe you one. Proud of you, for protecting your peace at all costs.
May you get enough time to get good sleep, eat your favourite food, laugh often, sing the songs you want, listen to your favourite ones while soaking in a bubble bath, watch trees swinging and birds chirping.
May you get moments to stroll in the lush green gardens, hike in a lonely forest, get wet in first monsoon shower, get to embrace your heartthrob, cuddle with your sister's and nieces, kiss your cats and dogs on their fur, water your house plants because self care is self love and no one will love you better and harder, if you won't love yourself.
Ever smiling, beaming, beautiful, young woman
- Naomi Osaka.
I know, not all are lucky but instead of being surrounded by brands and sponsors hungry to have their share in your success, somewhere one needs to confide into our close friends, our family who know us well and are there for us, rooting and watching out for our well-being. I still remember talking to a long time friend after years, who is now residing in US. He struggled to find the right words to tell me, how difficult it is to find someone to talk to, with whom conversations are bliss and you can open up to them, without being judged or scrutinised. Surprising however it might appear, it's true for people having a hard time being extroverts or well versed with what they've got to say or even being barely expressive.
Sexist bullies and domineering arrogant men like Piers Morgan, host on 'Good morning Britain' always preying on others' vulnerabilities, often getting worked up whenever they see a strong and opinionated woman. He says Osaka’s “cynical exploitation of mental health to silence the media is right from Meghan & Harry playbook of wanting their press cake and eating it.” Remind you, he went after Meghan Markle in a similar fashion when she revealed, how complications in royal household led her to suicidal thoughts, during an interview with Oprah. When Morgan was called out by a “Good Morning Britain” colleague for trashing the Duchess, he walked straight out off the set and ultimately left the show, getting a taste of his own medicine.
These old vindictive men, chairing top posts in federations must apologise for their apathy. If they soon don't come up with practical solutions, then they are losing a valuable opportunity to make an impact that resonates well with sports fraternity. They need to grow up and learn to appreciate our athletes, who are actual human beings and who might as well have real world issues.
To sum up, in words of 16-year-old WTA star Coco Gauff "It's essential people get involved, because they're seeing how much politics can affect their lives and their freedoms," which goes in sync with Zina Garrison when she said "We can't focus on what someone's going to give us, All we can do is be there for so long that you just can't deny it." In other words, we can snatch our freedom right from the hands of the oppressors if they keep denying it. All we've got to do is, to be persistent enough!
With the arrival of month of May, the advent of a hot blazing summer was bound to occur. Then came the mid of the month, where the warmth was taken over by humid, scorching heat and no gusty wind. The days were brutal but the nights too didn't offer the expected relief fromsolar wrath. Mornings escaped like sweet summer child and transformed into Helios by noon, riding across the radiant sky in a chariot until the dusk, settling above the horizon. We, earthlings are cursed to suffer the fury till the monsoon arrives, when the sky will gradually turn part cloudy with plenty of rains and thunder shower, hoping that mercury level will decline after sometime.
Arrival of migratory birds including the Red wattled lapwing in Northern part of India from western Asia into the Indian subcontinent.
Anyways, since the last two days, the weather turned a little pleasant. Occasional showers and lashing thunder, played peekaboo in the evening sky. It rained but not the incessant and heavy sort. After the heavy rains prediction for next couple of days, due to Yaas cyclone, now I really hope it won't damage our cherished Malihabadi Dussehri orchards which are home to mangoes, having exquisite taste, aroma and juicy flavour.
Cyclone ‘Yaas’ completed its landfall Wednesday morning near Odisha’s Dhamra port. After Tauktae, cyclone ‘Yaas’ is the second super cyclone to hit an Indian coast in just a week. Following Tauktae and Yaas, the next cyclonic storm erupting out of the Indian Ocean will be named ‘Gulaab’.
Yaas, named by Oman, means Jasmine-like tree with sweet fragrance. What? The havoc it has wrecked in coastal areas isn't what the name suggests. Weird! Whereas Tauktae was a Burmese name meaning 'gecko' highly vocal lizard. No offence to the organism but the name at least looks relatable. Following the two, the next cyclonic storm ‘Gulaab’ or a rose, has been already named by Pakistan. How deceptive and totally not done! Rose?
Folks come on!! It's like naming your stubborn and rambunctious kid, 'Adarsh' or the idol one. See? I remember in high school, the English teacher appointed the most notorious boy in our class as the class monitor. Most unforgettable person of our batch.
We had a discussion on snakes one day in the class and this boy returned from Australia after a summer visit. He told everyone in the class that he saw varieties of snakes in Australia. When the teacher asked, "OK which species of snake are you talking about?'' This fellow removed two desks from the classroom, bent down and literally rolled and wriggled all over the class floor like a snake, in order to demonstrate the snake's wriggling movements 'accurately' to all. We were speechless, flabbergasted and died laughing that day, readers. (Which snake? Only he might have known as we never got to know because no one ever asked. It was too hilarious for us and tongue in cheek kind of situation for him.) My stomach hurts to this day, thinking about the class monitor incident.
Anyways, we were on summers and then we transitioned to rain and cyclone and snakes!
So, last week we saw the arrival of birds taking flight across the globe, flapping their feathers, singing songs of migration. Commemorating the arrival of numerous migratory bird species between their summer nesting habitats in the west to India including Pelicans, Plovers, Falcons, Hawks etc. International Migratory Bird Day is celebrated on the second Saturday of May (May 8, this year). People are encouraged to come out in the open and observe the visit of these birds for summering, breeding and feeding grounds. These vagabonds travel thousands of miles each year. This year, the theme of International Migratory Bird Day was “Sing, Fly, Soar Like a Bird”. Inspiring! Right?
Listen here -
But dried wetlands due to inadequate monsoon & delay in the onset of winter in Central Asia poses a threat to their existence. Some of the Wildlife Sanctuary wetlands have shown marked decrease this year with only half of the birds making it to the sanctuary. Eg Hastinapur, Bijnor etc. Reduced wetlands has resulted in shrinking habitats of these birds. Mass mortality or deaths was also observed this year when bar-headed geese whose large population was found dead in Pong Dam lake wildlife sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh. Back in January, large number of red-wattled lapwing. 53 birds were found dead on Kharo reservoir bank in Junagad. Later found that the cause of death was Avian Flu. Authorities negligence was undeniable as they kept Informing the media that it was food poisoning which was denied after the medical examination. Later, carcasses of five egrets and four crows were also recovered from Junagad. With this, Gujarat recorded its first confirmed case of avian flu and migratory birds are at a greater risk of infection.
Avian habitats include receding shore-line (for lapwings, egrets, Grey Herons, Purple Herons); open deep water (mainly for grebes and cormorants); dry sand banks with little or no vegetation (for stone curlews and pratincoles); waterside vegetation and swamps below the out-fall from the dam (warblers, babblers, munias, kingfishers, moorhens, herons and predators); and shallow water at the reservoir margin for dabbling ducks such as pintails, shovellers, gadwalls and wigeon.
Just a day before, Bird flu gets confirmed at farm in Punjab’s Ludhiana, 90,000 birds are to be culled. While the world is grieving and coping with the spread of corona. 2020 witnessed an explosion in bird flu cases. Already Reported in 46 Countries, Researchers are warning about the next pandemic ahead of 2021. In Japan 9.6 million chicken/ducks have been culled. In Poland too, similar news have been reported.
Several of the H5Ny AIVs have zoonotic and pandemic potential as they can cross the species barrier, transmitting to mammals, including humans. Eurasia and Africa are experiencing a new wave of highly pathogenic H5Ny AIV outbreaks. Due to Zoonotic potential or ability to transfer from animals to humans, of AIVs requires continuous vigilance to prevent spillovers that could result in disastrous pandemics. Awareness, outreach and personal protection measures, during influenza season, while keeping away from wild birds, and avoiding hunting and eating wild and migratory birds must be done to remain on a safer side.
Lineage of the Avian flu virus and prediction for the future.
How the first human infection case for H5N8 reported in Russia 2020.
Human cases of the virus have also been discovered in recent times. After an outbreak of the avian flu in Russia in December 2020, seven people on a farm in South Russia had signs of infection – representing first time H5N8, ever to be found in humans. The most vulnerable animals to H5N8 are different kinds of birds including farmed chicken/ducks, the wild and migratory birds are at a greater risk.
As I gaze the evening sky and for long, follow the storks and cranes, flying together in symmetry, shrieking in their shilling voices retuning to their resting spots, I wonder how we, as humans couldn't do enough for controlling the pandemic. Whether it's wet markets, lab leakage, zoonotic spillovers or our own selfish interests in not acknowledging the blunders, end results are straight out of an apocalypse zombie thriller.
The empty sky when gets more darker and all other birds have returned, there comes a shrill sound sustained for too long, singing in a top note while, cursing and questioning us -
"Did you do it? Did you do it?
Did you? Did you.. really do it?
If you do it, why you do it?
Did you? Did you.. really do it?"
I had just finished my lunch the previous day. Though it was bit early, I felt relieved to not wait till late noon as it was humid as well as hot day. Suddenly I heard do it.. do it...sound alternately, I ran to my balcony and was surprised to see the pair hopping, flying and running in the park. It was too hot and they were shrieking, way too much as if searching for something and digging around. One of them found a cement mound to sit but the other one was just so restless. I threw a handful of some soaked peas towards them which they ate hesitantly. Then walked and flew towards the banana plant and sat under the shed. That was a good choice as the spot had plenty of small insects and moisture for them to choose from. They stayed for an hour and then flew away. May be they were deserted from their group or intentionally searching for nesting ground.
Red wattled lapwing is fond of moisture and habitually soakes it's belly with lot of water to keep the summer heat away. Smart!
As they were strolling on the road, I was worried that they might get attacked due to stray dogs or get hit by the vehicle so I watched closely. I clicked them when they were bit relaxed and felt safe around.
That's the red wattled lapwing, or “did-you-do-it” bird which casts an unforgettable impression in both the urban as well as rural landscape, whenever it flies over anyone's home or terrace. Accusatory, yet known for it's ceaseless vigil and alertness in the vast sky, leaving the trails of collected intelligence for the other migratory birds, like a freedom fighter igniting the hearts of fellow citizens or the woke investigative journalists and non fiction writers, questioning the current status of the government, asking the self anointed Prime Minister to hold a decent press conference. Yes, a decent one, which he never did in seven years of taking hold of the office. Where there was self promotional PR events on hijacked community radios but never came face to face with the national media that would've held him accountable for his failed tenure, riots in the western state, mob lynching by his vigilants in streets of the country, unleashing online hate campaigns on dissenters by trolls, over night diktat to dissolve the national currency, forcing the downtrodden and rural folks to die in lines outside the banks, in roads, in summer waiting to get their currency replaced by the new one. All because the naked emperor wanted to be the messiah of the majoritarian state where the "tribals and dalit lives matter" only on his manifesto, just before the elections. Poor died on streets walking thousands of kilometres home under the sun after an unannounced lockdown, cancelling trains and bus services the very minute of announcements. The poor died of hunger, of broken heart and of no prospect to feed his family.
At least, the voices of these migratory birds force us to think, how these tiny creatures' piercing calls are enough to shake the sky. Questioning our silence, our own actions, our failure in addressing the issues of climate change and shrinking ecosystems. So, why don't we question governments in our own country? If the tiny bird has so much courage what stops us citizens then? Cowardice or self obsession?
The cycle of exploitation needs to be broken at one point. At least Red wattled lapwing reminded me and the families in vicinity this summer. Interestingly Lapwing’s Tamil name is “aalkatti” or “one who points out people” as it quickly detects any intruder in its territory and raises a loud alarm that alerts all creatures nearby. Interesting! Right? It is definitely not a favourite of poachers and hunters who rely on deception to capture their prey. Take the clue for up coming elections y'all. Exploiters and imposters need to be shown the exit door and trialed internationally for their mass murders, series of communal riots, unethical surveillance of it's own citizen, siphoning money out national treasury or banks and embezzlement of national wealth in name of PM care funds when there was already PM relief funds for national donation during disasters or pandemic, misuse of power by slapping the students, scholars, writers with sedition charges. Who is the traitor sucking wealth and life from it's own nation? We truly need constant reminders because we have short lived memories and habit of moving on too easily.
"Oh dear Lapwings! When will we raise our voices like you do? With red, fleshy protuberances near your round eyes, back and wings in dull brown, with two white bars on your wings so distinctly visible from above, When you fly, it's so breathtaking."
Red-wattled lapwing are often seen in pairs. They often take care of their eggs one by one and use different tactics to ward off predators.
Lapwings eggs are perfect examples of camouflage. Though laying eggs on ground isn't very great decision for survival but they keep constant watch over they eggs to ensure security.
Lapwings nest on the ground. It's the perfect breeding season from summer till the monsoon. I hope to see them soon and hear them more often. In western parts of India, superstitious beliefs still exists that if lapwing picks lower ground to make its nest, monsoon would be poor.
In an absurd superstitious incident, khap panchayat, a self organised village level council, ordered a 5 year old girl Khushboo, who accidentally stepped on the birds egg who happened to lay it on the ground in camouflaged manner and not to enter the house for 3 days, while isolating her in a hut in the backyard.
Enrolled in class 1 of a government school in Haripura where the school children were being distributed milk for the first time under the Annapurna milk scheme in school, Meena was happy that her child will get to consume milk in school every day. While standing in the queue the girl mistakenly stepped on the egg shell of Titihari (Red Wattled Lapwing). Soon, a large crowd surrounded her screaming, that the child had committed a sin by stepping onto the egg remains. She was therefore, forced by the caste panchayat to stay away from her house for ten days. Her mom, Meena said the punishment was extended to 11 days when the girl’s father, a daily wager, confronted the khap for his child, refused to accept the diktat.
Khusboo’s family was forced to distribute five-kilogram namkeen (snacks) and grams in the village as part of a ritual for pardon. Shameful and unacceptable act! How can he afford to distribute expensive snacks to pair up with your desi liquor or relinquishments for your greed and desire and also for the whole village, when the father of the child barely managed to feed his wife pregnant with her unborn child and the daughter, two meals a day. The witch hunt didn't stop here, the panchayat later ordered the entire village to shun the family and not to assist or help Meena with the pregnancy due after a few months. Don't know how much protection the Lapwings are getting from these absurd inhumane beliefs but the opportunists and monstrous lot are readily ceasing opportunities to use it for unleashing caste level atrocities and discrimination. This gives enough thought for us to ponder over our belief systems that doesn't treat humans as humans but worst than animals.
If we observe closely, Lapwings also go through elaborate charades to distract potential enemies, squatting on imaginary nests that are far away from the real ones. During the summer months, when ground temperatures shoot up, lapwings go for a belly soaking. They squat for nearly ten minutes in puddle or nearby water body to absorb plenty of moisture. When they return to their nests, body temperature gets regulated, cools their eggs, supplies drinking water for hatchlings. Lapwing chicks are quick to develop and soon leave the nests to fly and soar, like their parents do. Irony! Khushboo had to face the discrimination when kids of her age visit museums, amusements parks, travel the world with their parents. Hoping for the world to be little kinder and understanding for not so privileged kids, having humble origins from dalit and tribal communities in India.
May be, we need lapwings as our conscience keeper if our core doesn't get awakened knowing what the children face in third world countries with broken systems, discrimination and exploiting government, ceasing every opportunity to play politics over the death of the folks from endangered communities.
Those who are silently watching the trauma unfold, those who are plagued by bystanders complex and those who passively or actively support the actions of apartheid state, will never be able to look in the eyes of the children and say, "I am not the one to exploit you. I am not the one to support actions that discriminate one citizen from the other. I condemn the actions of those who reap benefits from your stolen childhood. I did not do it."
“Did-you-do-it” isn't just a question it's a war cry, looking right into the exploiters eye for the answers. As I returned back from my evening walk, the sky turned darker with clouds in grey and pale black moving from one end to another. It will rain today, little heavier than the last one. Pair of lapwings are in a hurry, flapping their wings faster and screaming louder than ever, returning to their homes. Meanwhile, alerting the rest of us about the downpour and questioning one more time,
"Did you do it? Did you do it?
Did you? Did you.. really do it?
If you do it, why you do it?
Did you? Did you.. really do it?"
Premonitions aren't unusual in folklores and urban legends. Who knows, may be the change is about to come, if we earnestly wish to be the agent of the real change.
Evening sky filled with echoes of red-wattled lapwings. Signing, flying, soaring high and giving hopes for a pandemic free world.
Sky looks darker than a few moments back. Songs of migration and movement, can long be heard after the birds departure, with reminiscences occasionally interrupted by flash and thunder. I too believe now that the Change will surely come. Soon..
