Nagpur.
NT did an exclusive expose on a situation that has all Nagpurians concerned – especially parents of growing children. We surveyed public gardens like Botanical garden and Ambhazhari and found them over run by ‘love birds’ behind every bush that made these public places out of bounds for families and children. The response we are getting is overwhelming and deserves to be highlighted in our columns. Point to note is that people are reacting from all over the globe – Australia, USA and London too. Most of them are erst while Nagpuris settled abroad since.
Ironically, it is the elder readers who have grown up and married children who have been sympathetic to what they perceive as a “cause of the young” and the youth, who might have felt targeted, are supporting our story and demanding that sanity be restored to such public places.
We place before you, some of the comments:
Says a software Company Director Prakash of Nagpur –“Kuchh to outlet milna chahiye na youngsters ko. When we point out problem, it shall be good if we give solution too. I don’t think we should portray the love birds negatively. Having said that cute n lovely PDA should not turn into lusty encounters. Lust turns into vulgarity n love gets defamed”.
An industrialist with grown up children had this to say –Premarital sex was Taboo in Joint families with brother standing guard all the time. Girls could not let their hair loose and having locks was totally out of question. where and how far have we come and progressed. do you want to be called old fashioned.Why should the only rich have great time in their big mansions and huge cars and outings with the hardly earned money.
Valerian De Costa, 45 who is Goan but born and brought up in Nagpur and now settled in Pune “Our society today is largely depraved. It is a combination of many factors each of which has it own essay. Some observation …everything is now early…girls esp in cities enter puberty as early as 8 years…why? Is it the stimulus to hormonal glands due to the promiscuity seen on TV films,or the diet that genetically modified with hormones! TV shows have kids dress dance and act like adults. This just one part….yet all debates will remain non-conclusive.”
On the other hand, we have received feedback saying -“We should kill all who indulge in PDA. Vulgar perverts!!! Spoiling our culture.All parks and public places should be made accessible to only oldies and families or young people with very high morals.”
Nagpur Today understands that there are many currents and cross currents to the issue. Some of these hit at the core of our current value system and societal norms. Are we giving adequate sex education to our children and warning them about the consequences of pre mature and unprotected sex?
Some suggestions received to find creative solutions are – NMC should have parks exclusively for lovers. Some have claimed that there actually was such a proposal before the Standing Committee and it was even approved, but the matter did not go further. And if there is a ‘Nana – Nani park’ and a park for little ones, why not for young lovers?
Another Counselor opines that Indian youngsters need more Sporting activities, NCC etc. that will give an outlet for their pent up emotions and boundless energy which will then be utilized more creatively. One view also suggests that like in Israel, joining the Army should be made compulsory for all youth – male and female after the age of 18.
But finally, it all comes down to parenting. ‘Creative parenting’, careful parenting, spiritual parenting…call it what you will, but it is only in the crucible of the home that character is moulded and will stand by the person throughout his/ her life time.
