Have you noticed how fast things turn into Holy Cows that you cannot touch, question, comment on etc. ? Let me give you some examples.
1. The – as a kid of 5 years, i asked my Mom why was the cow more special than a goat? Both eat grass, give milk and can be eaten by man. For a vegetarian like I, both animals are special and neither should be eaten. She looked astonished and said my dad used the same argument years ago. But the fact is that in earlier times, people had cows at home and once it passed its milch days or if it was a bull calf, it was given away to family retainers with the implicit understanding of “do what you like and don’t discuss it with me”. Suddenly this environmentally sound practical way has given way to cows wandering streets and eating plastic. Ask people about it, and they go into hours of theories on the superior power of cow who should be revered, except that they cannot answer why they in particular are not looking after a retired cow in its last days.
2. The Defence Services – the moment the Mumbai ATS named a serving Lieutenant Colonel in a terror conspiracy, people from all crevices and nooks took umbrage. Few organizations of that size are truly blemish free. Have people forgotten the Larkin brothers? The Ketchup Colonel? Ask any contractor for the “free ration” and you are bound to get some stories of corruption. it is not okay to say,” they lay their lives down for us, we must not question them.” every body should be questioned, researched and fair answers provided.
3. The Dead Policeman – its okay to villify a serving police officer but his death proves his innocence and then all is forgiven? it is wrong to question motives or methods if the affected party is considered w