Kulbhushan Jadhav, Bindis and the Middia

Over the last few days our ‘Middia’ has been in a real froth. The immediate provocation was Pakistan permitting the wife and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav to visit him in the Pakistani prison where he is incarcerated for spying.

I am amused on one level. When the news broke that Kulbhushan Jadhav was in prison, our ‘Middia’ went blue in the face. I recall anchors thundering that with Pakistan’s human rights record [or lack of it] it was a distinct possibility that in fact he was dead, killed by the evil Pakistanis. Obviously he is not dead. But who is going to remind the ‘Middia’ of its rather incorrect strident views.

This time there are howls of protest, complete indignation at some of what I consider, minor aspects of the visit. Reports suggest that the terrible, heartless [add your chosen adjective here ______________ ] Pakistanis had the temerity of removing the “Bindi’s” from the two Jadhav ladies foreheads. In addition, their clothes were taken away and they were given replacements. The jewellery the Jadhav ladies were wearing was also removed from their person. Shoes were removed. All this, according to our rampant ‘Middia’ was a huge insult, was inhuman.

My view, or as they say, take, is different. I am sure that none of my readers have ever been to a prison. I have been, not once, but on several instances. Therefore, I believe, that puts me in an informed and somewhat advantageous  position.  There is nothing secret about this. I had written about this in an earlier post entitled “Going to Jail”, which you can read here. 

Well, like the Jadhav ladies, we too had to empty our pockets, remove our watches, and carry nothing except GBP 10 in coins. Not a shred of paper was allowed in. The reason being that paper is often impregnated with drugs. This is then slipped to the prisoners. Yes, we were allowed to wear the same clothes and our shoes remained on. But we were properly frisked and properly sniffed by drug dogs. Did we feel insulted? Not in the least. And, I suspect that the Jadhav ladies clothes were substituted, as were the shoes, since these could have carried listening devices or cameras or some other espionage equipment. According to me, perfectly legitimate suspicions on part of the Pakistani authorities.

I do find the opinions of the ‘Middia’ wholly provocative and in the realm of propaganda. This is disturbing. Further, the panels put together by the ‘Middia’ seem to know nothing, or, more disturbingly, seem to not want to point out the very logical explanations for the so called indignities heaped on the Jadhav ladies. An explanation much like I have put forward in the preceding paragraph. Sad.

Anyway, before I am accused of being anti-national or pro Pakistan, let me say Mera Bharat Mahan. Bharat Mata Ki Jai!

What do you guys think?