Nerve Endings Firing Away

Finally we have a celebrity in India who has the balls to stand up for what he believes in. Baichung Bhutia, India’s ace footballer refused to carry the Olympic torch when it reaches New Delhi on April 17 [source: ToI]:

Talking to TOI , Bhutia, a Buddhist, said, ”I sympathize with the Tibetan cause. I have many friends in Sikkim who follow Buddhism. This is my way of standing by the people of Tibet and their struggle. I abhor violence in any form.” Bhutia emphasized that he had not been requested by any group to pull out of the torch run. ”This is an absolutely personal decision. I feel what’s happening in Tibet is not right and in my small way I should show my solidarity.”

Bhutia’s actions are a refreshing change from India’s inability to take a strong stance against China’s violent repression in Tibet. But for every Bhutia, we are going to have a wuss who rather bask in the fake glory of carry the Olympic torch:

Randhawa, when asked by TOI whether he would carry the torch, said: ”I have received an invitation to run with the Olympic torch and I will proudly do it. I know about what is going on in Tibet but the Indian government is not protesting. So why should I?”

Exactly, Mr. Gurbachan Singh Randhawa whom I freakin don’t remember (Google tells me you ran in the 110m Hurdles final in the 1964 Olympics), why should you? After all, your fame and success is all courtesy the Indian government and you don’t have a freaking opinion. Perhaps a heavily socialist mai-baap government back then may even have been responsible. At least if you had mentioned something on the lines of supporting a tyrannical government, I would’ve have at least given you some points for having an opinion. But never mind, there are plenty of you.