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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Red Romance

For long, the Naxalite in news was recognisable by the gun. But the more insidious version of Naxalism has never needed a rifle. It has thrived in varsity classrooms and newspaper and magazine columns, fostered by men and women sympathetic to it. These academics and other members of the so-called intelligentsia have long enjoyed their status as ‘respectable dissenters’ even when their politics offered intellectual alibis for Naxals carrying guns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent...

Red Romance

For long, the Naxalite in news was recognisable by the gun. But the more insidious version of Naxalism has never needed a rifle. It has thrived in varsity classrooms and newspaper and magazine columns, fostered by men and women sympathetic to it. These academics and other members of the so-called intelligentsia have long enjoyed their status as ‘respectable dissenters’ even when their politics offered intellectual alibis for Naxals carrying guns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Independence Day warning about “dimaagi Naxals” should therefore not be dismissed as another political label. His larger point was that an insurgency does not survive on ammunition alone. It survives on ideas and people willing to make violence appear morally fashionable. The most revealing feature of India’s Maoist movement was never simply its brutality. It was the strange attraction it exercised over sections of the metropolitan Left elite. The Naxalite with an AK-47 could be transformed into a romantic revolutionary while the policeman he killed became an instrument of an oppressive state. This was not merely naïveté. At its ugliest, it was the intellectual laundering of political violence. The fantasy of the romantic revolutionary has always been seductive. In this narrative, amplified through sympathetic media priding itself on telling ‘truth to power,’ India was not a constitutional democracy struggling with inequality and corruption but an inherently illegitimate state waiting to be overthrown. In the minds of this elite Left, Maoist violence has often been recast as resistance while attacks on infrastructure as blows against capitalism. The armed overthrow of the Indian republic was the liberation they craved for. Some of India’s most celebrated intellectuals have flirted dangerously close to that moral inversion. The issue here is whether intellectual prestige can be used to sanitise an ideology whose practitioners have murdered civilians, policemen and public servants and terrorised some of India’s poorest districts. A university cannot be the place where Maoist romanticism acquires the legitimacy of a fashionable campus cause. Professors who turn armed insurgents into heroic revolutionaries are not merely exercising academic freedom. If they knowingly excuse violence, they are helping to construct the moral vocabulary that makes violence possible. Let’s be clear here. A professor who criticises the Indian state is not a Naxal while a journalist who exposes state excesses is not an enemy of India. But an intellectual who repeatedly excuses, glorifies or rationalises political violence cannot hide behind the word ‘dissent.’ India has paid an enormous price for the Maoist fantasy. Thousands have died. Entire regions were held back by fear while development was obstructed. The people supposedly being liberated were often the first to suffer. The armed Naxal is now being pushed towards extinction. But the Indian republic cannot afford to leave behind the romantic mythology that made the gun respectable. A democracy can tolerate dissent. It should never be expected to tolerate the glorification of those who seek its violent destruction.

Unique campaign to spread epilepsy awareness

Mumbai: Jiyo Samman Se Run 2.0, organised by Samman Association, the Mumbai chapter of the Indian Epilepsy Association, stands as a significant public health and social awareness initiative aimed at addressing the persistent stigma surrounding epilepsy. With participation exceeding 1,100 individuals, the event has emerged as India’s largest run dedicated exclusively to epilepsy awareness, reflecting both its growing reach and the increasing public willingness to engage with the cause.


Held at the Bandra Fort seafront, the event’s strategic location and inclusive design contributed to its success. Participants included persons with epilepsy, caregivers, medical professionals, families, volunteers and fitness enthusiasts, symbolising a collective approach to advocacy. The diversity of participants reinforced the event’s central message: epilepsy is not a marginal issue but one that requires broad societal understanding and inclusion. The presence of multiple run categories -- 3 km, 5 km and 10 km -- ensured accessibility across age groups and fitness levels, further strengthening community participation.


The run’s alignment with International Epilepsy Day and the global #50MillionCampaign added international relevance to the initiative. By connecting local action with a global movement led by the International Bureau for Epilepsy, the event amplified its advocacy potential. This linkage underscored the scale of epilepsy as a global health concern, affecting nearly 50 million people worldwide, and highlighted the urgent need for awareness, rights and equitable access to care.


Symbolism played a crucial role in the event’s impact. The widespread use of purple, the global colour for epilepsy awareness, transformed the venue into a powerful visual statement. Additionally, the flag-off of the 10 km run by Robin Behl, the fastest Indian to complete the Antarctic Ice Marathon, added credibility and inspiration, bridging athletic excellence with social responsibility. Such high-profile involvement enhanced visibility and media appeal, essential components for sustained advocacy.


Statements from Samman Association’s leadership further contextualised the event’s significance. Dr. Sangeeta Ravat emphasised the unexpectedly high turnout as evidence of an unmet need for epilepsy awareness and equality. This observation suggests that despite medical advances, social barriers and misconceptions remain prevalent. Dr. Jayanti Mani’s remarks highlighted the psychological and social dimensions of the initiative, noting how fitness-based collective activities can foster confidence, positivity, and solidarity among persons with epilepsy while dispelling fear rooted in misinformation.


The success of Jiyo Samman Se Run 2.0 also reflects the long-standing credibility of Samman Association. With roots dating back to 1971 and formal establishment in 1998, the organisation has consistently addressed epilepsy through awareness campaigns, support groups, counselling, professional training, and rural medical camps. Its sustained engagement with underserved communities strengthens the legitimacy and long-term impact of such public events.


The run transcended the boundaries of a conventional sporting event to become a meaningful social movement. By combining community participation, global alignment, symbolic advocacy and institutional credibility, the initiative demonstrated how collective action can challenge stigma and promote dignity. The event serves as a replicable model for health-based advocacy, proving that when communities move together, societal barriers can be left behind.

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