Putting things politely in matters of politics give incidents a new meaning altogether. Political euphemisms are abounding in India and it has only created confusion among the common people. There is a sort of norm followed by the Indian newspapers of referring to the wrong doers and terrorists as misguided youths. The trend started around 1980s and 90s when raging separatist movements were going in different parts of India. This way the media and politicians attempt to reduce the proportion of the problems the country is facing. It will seem that controlling or rather disciplining the so called misguided youths will be an easy task as if they are just some college kids who have got a wrong idea about their rights.
The voice of protest is submerged like this and the real problems are not found. The separatist movements in Kashmir, Punjab and Assam were led by youths who had strong ideas and notions and wanted their rights of living with more dignity and pride. May be they chose the wrong methods but their demands should not have been totally ignored and neglected. The Indian government countered the misbehavior of these misguided youths with rounds of bullets fired by the Indian army. The army was not at all forgiving or lazy in teaching discipline to the youths.
The army speaks in a politically correct jargon which prohibits calling a spade a spade. That is why a ferocious border battle with fuming neighborhood country is termed as a ‘skirmish’ and the enemy activities are called misadventures. Nothing can be done to change the reluctance of the government in being straightforward. The misguided youths died the death of dogs because they took part in some misadventures. May be the government is also planning to make some lore for the kids to study in schools, retelling the saga how naughty youths went against the government and were punished for their misadventures.
The welfare schemes are unnecessarily given big names and the name of some Gandhi is attached with them to make them sound grand and honorable. India is full of misconceptions, stemming from the euphemisms used in daily life. Public display of affection gets termed as ‘compromising position’ and it is prohibited by real and moral police for the sake of ‘national interest. Meaning of words are changed or clipped to sound a certain way that favors the politicians. Unless India grows up to accept reality and calls a spade a spade its future looks pretty dark and euphemistic.
