Shades of Gray in Me!
When State Bank employees went on strike two months ago, I was not in favour of their strike. My only arguement was that they can't hold the government and people to ransom. It was unconstitutional. I did not know about their demands except whatever came through the media. According to me, they were holding the country and its citizens to ransom and it was unconstitutional. There have been lot of strikes which have disrupted public life. I have been dead against these strikes, atleast in principal.
Today, in this protest against reservation, the medical community has shut hospitals, OPDs, General clinics, pharmacies and so on in different parts of the country. Scores of people (not only the poor) are affected. For small illnesses we run to doctor and gulp down tablets, there certainly would be people who would be suffering severely. Their conditions may not be grave but their suffering could be reduced if the doctors attend to these people on time.
Doctors through their oath have their first responsibility towards their patients. Through this strike they (I should say we, cause I support the cause too) are causing inconvenience to public, and pricipally (atleast) I should be opposed to this strike. I should condemn it and not participate in this strike in its current form.
But I shamelessly admit that just because this is an issue I support, I don't feel strongly against it. Infact I support the strike. I feel that the government is letting us down and I, as a citizen should stand up and protest. I conveniently choose to ignore the discomfort the strike is causing.
I have learnt that things are never ever right/wrong or correct/incorrect. When it comes to policies and interests it is always 'right for whom' vs 'wrong for whom' and 'correct for whom' vs 'incorrect for whom'. From next time on, when other parties protest for their causes, I might be more sympathetic towards them. Or I might forget that once even I caused discomfort to public and oppose their protest on grounds of disrupting public normalcy. I dont think I would be right or wrong . I would be in some shade of gray.
Today, in this protest against reservation, the medical community has shut hospitals, OPDs, General clinics, pharmacies and so on in different parts of the country. Scores of people (not only the poor) are affected. For small illnesses we run to doctor and gulp down tablets, there certainly would be people who would be suffering severely. Their conditions may not be grave but their suffering could be reduced if the doctors attend to these people on time.
Doctors through their oath have their first responsibility towards their patients. Through this strike they (I should say we, cause I support the cause too) are causing inconvenience to public, and pricipally (atleast) I should be opposed to this strike. I should condemn it and not participate in this strike in its current form.
But I shamelessly admit that just because this is an issue I support, I don't feel strongly against it. Infact I support the strike. I feel that the government is letting us down and I, as a citizen should stand up and protest. I conveniently choose to ignore the discomfort the strike is causing.
I have learnt that things are never ever right/wrong or correct/incorrect. When it comes to policies and interests it is always 'right for whom' vs 'wrong for whom' and 'correct for whom' vs 'incorrect for whom'. From next time on, when other parties protest for their causes, I might be more sympathetic towards them. Or I might forget that once even I caused discomfort to public and oppose their protest on grounds of disrupting public normalcy. I dont think I would be right or wrong . I would be in some shade of gray.
5 comments:
well said ravi...
before the elections, arjun singh said he sympathized with the medicos....but after the elections, he just didnt allow anyone to meet him...
That's bcoz unless u do something crazy, no one listens to u in this land !! But certain innovative methods came up during this strike - like docs writing slogans in the prescriptions, Anti reservation ring tones, use of orkut groups etc !! Now we will see what the court will say !! Hopefully the debate shud drag on for one more year :) :)
nobody wants patients to suffer!! but wat options do ordinary ppl hv if the government refuses to listen to them.. seriously even i do not support strikes generally.. like thsi lawyer's strke which had been going on for months..it's a waste of resources, time.. but sometimes there are other mor eimportant things.. and it has to be donE!!
karthik:
Be sure this thing wont die down soon. It will continue on.
neha:
The point I was trying to raise through the post was not to say that the strike should not be carried on this way or soemthing to that effect. I have just tried to understand my own double standards. One when I condemn lawyers, state govt officials, SBI strikes and so on when it causes inconvenience to me, yet for my own cause I adopt the same methods and I am totally OK with it.
THere is no right or wrong, but to each his right and wrong. Thats all.
That's a great story. Waiting for more. » »
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