Where did this religious discrimination come from, in a secular country? Is the Indian government only preaching secularism in school textbooks? Who is responsible for such widespread hatred? When will people see their fellow beings as equals – leaving aside considerations of race, caste, nationality and religion? When will we learn to value the uniqueness of others?
Bringing back humanity and justice in people’s hearts is not a ‘one-day affair’. The person who did this isn’t the only one to be blamed. Our community, our norms, our policies, our philosophies, our silence against crimes – and most importantly, we ourselves – are responsible for this.
What we give to society is what we get back from it. A change starts with the heart. When will the heart change? Only when we educate it.
We have to educate our people. Where does education start? With schools. When we raise a good kid, we give a good human to the society.
People are pondering over ranks, grades and money and luxury. But, we really need to learn how to be humans.
Secularism in social books is not enough for the society. Secularism should be in our vision. When a crime happens, it is often a result of a series of crimes that people have done before. After all, our actions are often a result of what we have learned from the past. We have to take up the responsibility to build the society we want to live in.
Enforcing law and order upon citizens will not change what is in their hearts. Ultimately, we need education – but not one that is limited to the board and a chalk.
I personally believe that schools and the media are the most powerful means to educate people. Advertisements, movies, serials, and even memes can play an important role.
Actors with millions of fans should advocate movies for social causes and change, so that it can reach the people. In schools, value education and emotional intelligence should be included in the curriculum – and teachers handling these subjects should exemplify them. TV serials and shows should illustrate value education, social ethics and emotional intelligence, instead of being excessively melodramatic.
The police and the law can catch criminals and punish them – but our society should not be the one creating criminals in the first place.