I Am Right : You Are Wrong

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty

Since language mediated reality dominated human consciousness two words, Right and Wrong, coexist in all human discourses. The conversation may be just a chat between a  couple (after two years of marriage), father and child, teacher and student, neighbours, public debates, parliament, debates in a democracy, arguments in a court room or anywhere else in state-center, country-country or even young or mature lovers who vow to die for each other, these two words will occur several times and the powerful between them or the specimen of patriarchy would be right. If it is not accepted by the other party  the result is quarrel, divorce, war or murder. The church, temple and mosque supporters have been killing publicly declaring the victims a heretic before burning him/ her at the stake. The other religious zealots too kill. The strong in argument  and weak in strength or power concedes defeat at a public place but  nurses his hurt  with million nourishments to his ego and thinks of himself as a revenge hero. In literature the revenge hero has his pride of place. The weak and the meek become strong in villainy and clandestine  machinations like Iago or Shakuni. Might is always Right. In India the sages and scholars have approved of Birabhogya Vasundhara, which is also true of Timurs and Ghajinis!

In the modern world Galileos are no more punished but nations which are powerful in military might may have claims on your rights and ideas. The Gulf countries are always wrong, for they are weak in money and muscle. China is right to claim Sikkim and Arunachal; Pakistan too is right in sending terrorist to India out of spite with the plea of freedom for kashmir. The United Nations becomes a divided nations the moment a Trump or Ji Jinping asserts a right which flouts International law but if a weaker nation raises a universal issue, genuine, authentic and peace disturbing it is cold shouldered by the P5, for they would decide what is morally, legally and politically right for the good of mankind.

But there are exceptions. When Taliban is created by the Americans to counter the  advance of the Russians in Afghanistan, they were right: For what they did was for world peace. What they did in Iraq was also right. They attacked Iraq accusing Saddam Hussain of stockpiling Weapons of Mass Destruction; but no WMD was found anywhere. But whose sense of Right was powerful enough to challenge America? In the world politics of power equations today every leader is right . Even Imran Khan is right to surrender the power of an elected Government to his Army General  Bajwa by yielding to the demand of a three year extension  post - retirement. Right and wrong have no relevance when need, greed and power politics decide the future of a country.

Changing the political metaphor when we look into our daily  martyrdom of morals we are often bewildered. When a mob lynching happens over a silly unreasonable issue two groups representing right and wrong start  debating on national television in India. The anchor helplessly acquiesces  in for loss of TRP. But if an anchor shows some grit and opposes what is morally and legally wrong  the power group calls him/ her a soldout media person. In the name of free speech the right claimers parade statistical lies without fear . The nay sayers often carry  the day by the decibels they raise. If a Rapist is a religious leader his statement is institutionally supported proving yet again, the victim is always in the wrong.

 Right and wrong are now divorced from morality. It has more political overtones, that's why  we try to make politically correct statements despite the voice of conscience whispering what you are saying in the public is a trouble  avoiding logic far removed from truth. A woman now can say to  have sex with another person consensually is not a betrayal of love. I love you beyond the chastity of the body. A man too is now legally free to have  another woman without transgressing the charmed circle of his family. A lover who forsakes the world for his beloved is now considered a fool. Even his lady love often says you are right in your love for me but wrong to expect positive response from me. You go on pouring your soulful love on me, delight me by your poetic words, write volumes of poems for my entertainment: that is your Right and the right way to treat your love . But if you expect the same kind of participative response in word, speech and action, you are wrong.

Right and wrong have now constitutional validity. If my right does not violate the Constitution I am not wrong. But if I think my unegoistic word and action is Right I am wrong.  But if  I feel what you feel is the right thing to write, speak and do, do it without bothering about the others' cry of wrong  wrong  wrong.