New Delhi: We are living in dangerous times. The hyper social media 'activism' has made everything sensitive these days. It seems almost everybody is facing a Hamletian dilemma of 'to do or not do or 'to be or not to be'. The latest debate is over bursting of firecrackers during the Deepavali or Diwali (both are correct pronunciations. It is Deepavali in the South and Diwali in the North).
In their tweets and Facebook updates, the same old faces and the drawing room environmental 'activists' are advising the people not to burst or burn firecrackers to keep the air clean and prevent lung related diseases. They argue that the celebration of Deepavali should be without firecrackers and blaring music. The same people argue that Holi festival should be celebrated without colours which they fear may contain poison.
But, these tweets and Facebook updates have not gone down well with the people, who call these 'advisors' pseudo and self appointed 'secularists'. The likes of BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy have launched a no-holds barred attack on them claiming that these people have double standards and don't dare to tell the same to other faiths mainly Muslims during their festivals.
Dr Swamy in his tweets and Facebook updates has ridiculed the people who advocate a noiseless Deepavali without firecrackers and loud music. In his latest update on Facebook, Swamy writes "Not that whatever the leftists and Dhimmi fools say matters, but just in case you have an annoying pretentious friend who insists on a plain and silent Deepawali, here is what (s)he needs to know.
The major source of pollution in the world are vehicles and industries burning fossil fuels. Even smoking a cigarette is much bigger source of pollution, or for that matter the deadly CFC gases from the ACs these leftists pseudo-intellectuals put in their comfy rooms.
To put things in perspective, mere one day's worth of air-travel (producing ozone damaging as well as green house gases) in the world produces much more deadly pollution that a Diwali celebration that we observe just once a year. We won't even go compare with vehicular or industrial pollution as they're exponential degrees of magnitude higher".
He also describes the campaign on noiseless Deepavali as a so-called 'secular' and 'leftists' propaganda aimed at denigrating the Hindu beliefs and festivals.
It has led to a raging debate in the social media on whether to say 'Yes' or 'No' to firecrackers. Shockingly, it has now become a 'communal' versus 'secular' issue.
Some argue that the Health Ministry's campaign against firecrackers exposes government's lopsided priorities and it should not waste public money on it. The sale of firecrackers indicates that 'naysayers' have little influence over the people who want to celebrate the 'festival of lights' in style.
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