Above: detail from "The Silent Majority" by sculptor Milan Spacek.
1984
The Silent Majority
T. SHER SINGH
India has a silent majority, we’ve been told, and it stands for integrity and basic human decencies.
But, like all ‘silent majorities’, we’ve been told, it has struggled to find its voice, so that it can be heard. In the meantime, we’ve been told, it does the right thing, always. Only, it does it quietly.
Sure, the mobs in 1984 went on murderous rampages across the country, and freely raped and killed and pillaged and plundered.
But, we were assured, the silent majority disapproved. It did not endorse the uncivilized behaviour. It did not participate. It did not condone. A few even stepped forward -- we’re oft reminded -- and, though still silent, helped save lives.
That’s understandable.
A loss of voice is a terrible thing indeed.
But there’s good news now … albeit, amidst tragedy and pain.
India’s silent majority has found its voice, we’re told.
It is no longer silent.
Jolted into action by the horrific gang-rape in India’s capital, it has come out on the streets and has demanded action.
And has obtained results.
It is now a force to be reckoned with.
There will be justice now because the government has heard the voice of the majority and has set up fast-track courts to bring justice for the victims of rape.
That is a good thing.
It’s progress.
And progress is always good.
A question, though.
Now that India’s Silent Majority has found its voice and is silent no more, will it now ensure that justice for the 1984 victims in their own city will be fast-tracked too?
Maybe, the same new fast-track courts can hear the 28-year old cases and ’fast-track’ them?
Can the Sajjan Kumar trial be fast-tracked too?
At present, it takes the courts roughly six months to make a ruling on every little motion, which means that, at this pace, maybe, just maybe, the Sajjan Kumar trial will come to fruition in another 28 years.
Looks awfully like slow-track.
We were told that the India’s Silent Majority is good, that it is not like the mobs that carried out the anti-Sikh pogroms, that it would do anything and everything … only if it could.
That’s good.
Just you watch now.
The Silent Majority, now that it has found its voice and tasted its power and felt its muscle, it is going to demand that the 1984 cases be part of the new fast-tracked courts.
Now, 28 years later, things are finally going to move fast.
Just you wait.
Just you watch.
Just you watch how quickly things start moving now for the tens of thousands of 1984 victims.
We always knew, didn't we, that the majority in India was never with the mobs of 1984, that it was against them.
Any day now, you're going to see the silent majority finally in action: protest marches demandng justice for the raped and widowed and orphaned women of 1984.
All they were waiting for, all this tme, is a voice.
And now ... they have a voice.
We wait with bated breath.
January 28, 2013
Conversation about this article
1: Baljit Singh Pelia (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.), January 28, 2013, 11:05 AM.
"Silencing of the massacred by the majority", that is what I have watched with a choked breath.
2: Devinder Pal Singh (Delhi, India), January 30, 2013, 3:31 AM.
The 'Silent Majority' does not even know that 1984 riots existed, primarily because most of them were kids in mother's arms or just in the midst of schooling. The ignorance is persisting and no one wants to visit the time in memory. While it is positive to hope and wish that this 'Silent Majority' makes itsself heard, the fear still persists that their voices would be drowned by the overlooking, self-interested leaders of the Sikhs themselves. It's a tragedy that the Sikh gurdwara management committees do not remain apolitical and will choose bed partners that suit them, they will never put this as a prime concern on their manifesto or agenda. Yet they come abegging for votes to back them for being elected. Then who will give a voice to the silent majority? Sign language is not understood by all. What we witness amongst the leadership, religious or political, is a cold aloofness with symbolic sympathy reserved for the times when the franchise matters. God save the silent majority that only wants to enjoy a handshake with the powers that be.
3: H. Kaur (Canada), February 01, 2013, 12:49 AM.
The supposedly good and moral silent majority that has now found its voice, has also been given a financial incentive to speak up against some of the criminals attacking Sikhs in November 1984. A reward of $10,000 (in American dollars) has been offered by Sikhs for Justice to any Indian who provides information that will lead to the conviction of a person involved in raping a Sikh girl or woman during November 1984. It is $10,000 per rapist convicted. I don't think even a single person has come forward yet. The only thing I see happening is the desire by Indians to shut Sikhs up when they speak about what happened to them, to paint them as extremists for wanting justice, as fools for wanting justice, etc. Sikhs are made for getting justice. Until there is justice for the victims of the genocide orchestrated by the Indian government against Sikhs, it is the duty of every Sikh to clamour for it from the roof tops, from the ground level, and from under the sea too.