Today, I read an article in the Times of India about a Lady who took on the Railway Police.

Apparently she was travelling without a proper Ticket and when the Ticket Checker tried to penalise her she demanded that “Mallya should be arrested first”.

Most people whom I saw sharing this post were actually praising the Woman and how this is exactly how we should retaliate against the Government and their short comings at addressing the problems.

And the only thing that came to my mind was “WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP”.

This is “Whataboutery” of the best kind.

Isnt that exactly what the Modi Government is indulging in day in and day out?

And isnt that exactly what you guys condemn when you are speaking against BJP?

When someone asks about Mallya, the Govt asks what about Quattrochi.

When someone asks about Vyapam Scam, the Govt asks what about Coal Scam.

And the same people who condemn the Government for indulging in this Whataboutery are the ones who are promoting this particular case?

Now, while the Lady in question had every right to question officials about Mallya (not that the Railway Police are going to arrest him), she had absolutely no right to break the rules herself.

Your Crime is not justified by the inability of the Government to stop crimes of others.

So the Lady is no Hero (or Heroine). The Lady is just someone who was travelling without a ticket and was breaking the law and should be penalised, irrespective of what the Modi Government or the Police have failed to do.

And where does this Whataboutery end?? Next time someone will murder another and then say “Why havent you arrested XYZ as yet?”

Are we going to cheer for him?

Someone who breaks the law is a criminal. Just because other criminals are not arrested for whatever reason (including the Government being in cahoots with the criminal) does not give you the right to break laws yourself.

The continuance and the glorification of this attitude will only ensure a complete breakdown of the Law and Order machinery and then we will end up with a “Jiski Laathi Uski Bhains” kind of a society, much more than what it already is.

So, Lets stop glorifying people for the wrong things.

A WRONG is a WRONG … on its own merits. One wrong doesn’t justify your wrong.

Btw, I firmly blame Amitabh Bachchan for starting this “Whataboutery” way back in 1975.

It was in Deewar that Amitabh Bachchan delivered the first “Whataboutery” dialogue to our National Mother, Nirupa Roy.

“Jao pehle uss aadmi ka sign leke aao….”

And people clapped and cheered to it.

Unfortunately, that dialogue became a super hit because it was Amitabh who delivered it. All Shashi Kapoor could get away with was “Mere paas Maa Hain, Bhaaaaaiiii” 😛

But, no one gave much credit to Nirupa Roy’s reply to him.

And remember, despite the famous dialogue, Amitabh got kicked out of the house, did not get the adulation and approval of his Mother and finally got shot to death.

Shouldnt that tell us that indulging in Whataboutery doesnt justify your stand but you end up dead, clinging to a railing, as you lose your favourite 786 billa down the drain???

Disclaimer: The example of Amitabh Bachchan is merely an analogy. Please dont go about filing cases against him just because he was doing something that he was paid to do.