dailyO
Variety

Liberals are forgetting slain Apple executive’s wife has a right to decide for herself

Advertisement
Vandana
VandanaOct 02, 2018 | 17:29

Liberals are forgetting slain Apple executive’s wife has a right to decide for herself

Apple executive Vivek Tiwari’s killing in Lucknow, at the hands of police officials meant to protect people, has left the entire state shell-shocked. But for the family, the incident was beyond a statement on law and order in Uttar Pradesh. 

Ahead of Kalpana Tiwari, Vivek’s widow, and their two daughters, is an uncertain future, a life that now has to be lived without the man they loved so dearly. 

Advertisement

And what has struck the family in this hour of grief and mourning is naked insensitivity from those opposed to the Yogi Adityanath government in UP. 

Adiyanath’s detractors are apparently miffed with Kalpana for not launching an attack on the UP chief minister and holding him directly responsible for Vivek’s death. 

Kalpana’s crime: She said she has faith in the UP administration after meeting the chief minister and receiving assurances of help and proper investigation in Vivek’s death. 

"He (Yogi Adityanath) heard what I had to say and assured help. I am in no shape to take any strong stand... I had said that I have faith in our state government... today that faith has strengthened," Kalpana Tiwari told news agency ANI after meeting the chief minister.

Kalpana is the mother of two young girls who aren’t mature enough to even comprehend the full gravity of the situation that has befallen them.

Jawaharlal Nehru University student Shehla Rashid is among those who have been particularly harsh on Kalpana by accusing her of siding with “her husband’s killers”.

Advertisement

Kalpana had earlier also stated that she had voted for the Yogi Adityanath government, a statement which drew flak from the CM’s detractors. 

danish-khan_100218051056.jpg
The tweet is no longer available on the website.

In a democratic society, a person has a right to vote for whoever s/he wants within the framework of law. To wish death upon people, or to justify the killings of people just because they voted for one’s bête noire, flies in the face of liberal principles. 

Kalpana is a grown-up, mature woman, who has a right to decide how she wants to deal with her husband’s killers and whom she believes actually killed her husband. Whether she wants to hold the administration accountable or not is her prerogative.

Rashid, in another tweet on the matter, has said:

This tweet is actually patronising towards an educated, aware and thinking middle class.

The point that Rashid seems to have missed is that there exist more ways than one when it comes to interpreting a situation.

The father of the victim of December 16 Delhi gang-rape had profusely thanked Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the help extended in the fight for justice.

Advertisement

The rape had happened at a time when the Congress was in power, both in the state and the Centre, and yet, it was fair for a man to thank someone he thought had helped him during his hour of crisis. It was his loss more than anybody else’s.

The UP government has announced Rs 25 lakh for Vivek’s family and Rs 5 lakh for his children's education; another Rs 5 lakh has also been given for his elderly mother.

The government has promised Kalpana a proper investigation into the murder.

None of this is a favour.

Kalpana is a victim of the excessive use of power and force by a state institution. She and her daughters deserve the help being extended.

No one should try to shame her for accepting the help and saying what she feels like even if it doesn’t suit the political ideology of a certain group.

There are times when we can rise above politics. There are times when we can try to let go of an opportunity to score a point against a political rival. These are times in which we rise as humans.

Unfortunately, some of our 'liberals' have failed to grasp this.

Last updated: October 02, 2018 | 17:29
IN THIS STORY
Please log in
I agree with DailyO's privacy policy