The heading that I've given to my thought for the day is the literal translation(e & oe, as it's my effort!) of a Malayalam saying, "veenittu, urularuthu". The story has it that if somebody were to fall due to a misstep, to avoid the others from coming to know of the mistake of the faulty step, he resorts to rolling on the ground to give an impression that, that was the actual intention! Shorn of all the niceties, it simply means that one must accept one's mistake. Period.
I'm reminded of this saying when I see Tarun Tejpal's statement against his act of sexual harassment of a younger colleague - his daughter's contemporary and friend, if you please! At the outset, let me make myself very clear. I'm not being judgmental and I'd like to quote Jesus Christ when he'd said many, many eons back, "Let the one who hasn't sinned cast the first stone".
And I'm not justifying Tejpal's misdemeanour either. He was my hero of sorts, when he showed corruption in the corridors of power in connection with defence deals through the 'tehelka sting operation'. Which Indian can ever forget the shot of a gleeful, Bangaru Laxman, stashing away the bundles of currency notes that he got as a bribe. The poor fellow - he's the president of the powerful BJP - was sunk forever consequent to the ignominy!
From then on, Tejpal and his portal, Tehelka stood on a very high moral pedestal and he became a celebrity overnight. Luxurious living, an eventful life jet setting from one spot of the globe to the other, rubbing shoulders with the high and the mighty, the beautiful and the powerful - all these and more must have given him the feeling of infallibility much to his undoing.
But what the hell, we're after all humans and we've our weak moments......we make mistakes. Just accept the mistake, apologise or take appropriate corrective action warranted by the situation and move on. And do not insult the victim to cover your faux pas.
Instead, his statement, "It was consensual and a simple flirtatious act" lacks class and is totally devoid of sensitivity. Wonder what he's gonna achieve out of it? Will his near and dear ones ever be able to forget the breach of faith?
Tailpiece.
It's 04 Dec and the Navy Day. Here's wishing the Indian Navy many laurels in the years ahead! And I'm looking forward to seeing INS Vikramaditya in our waters soon!!
I'm reminded of this saying when I see Tarun Tejpal's statement against his act of sexual harassment of a younger colleague - his daughter's contemporary and friend, if you please! At the outset, let me make myself very clear. I'm not being judgmental and I'd like to quote Jesus Christ when he'd said many, many eons back, "Let the one who hasn't sinned cast the first stone".
And I'm not justifying Tejpal's misdemeanour either. He was my hero of sorts, when he showed corruption in the corridors of power in connection with defence deals through the 'tehelka sting operation'. Which Indian can ever forget the shot of a gleeful, Bangaru Laxman, stashing away the bundles of currency notes that he got as a bribe. The poor fellow - he's the president of the powerful BJP - was sunk forever consequent to the ignominy!
From then on, Tejpal and his portal, Tehelka stood on a very high moral pedestal and he became a celebrity overnight. Luxurious living, an eventful life jet setting from one spot of the globe to the other, rubbing shoulders with the high and the mighty, the beautiful and the powerful - all these and more must have given him the feeling of infallibility much to his undoing.
But what the hell, we're after all humans and we've our weak moments......we make mistakes. Just accept the mistake, apologise or take appropriate corrective action warranted by the situation and move on. And do not insult the victim to cover your faux pas.
Instead, his statement, "It was consensual and a simple flirtatious act" lacks class and is totally devoid of sensitivity. Wonder what he's gonna achieve out of it? Will his near and dear ones ever be able to forget the breach of faith?
Tailpiece.
It's 04 Dec and the Navy Day. Here's wishing the Indian Navy many laurels in the years ahead! And I'm looking forward to seeing INS Vikramaditya in our waters soon!!
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