Top Article

international girls cbse residential school in india

Double Faced?!! The art of Double-speak! What would it be like to speak convincingly on a particular topic, taking a particular stand on it and then within a matter of a bell, reverse your stand completely? Sounds challenging yet exciting., doesn't it? Lucky girls- Vasundhra Yadav and I- got the incredible opportunity to participate in a Turncoat Competition organized by Summer Valley School, Dehradun. Having practiced quite a few times under the able guidance of Mrs. Natascha Bathla, the girls were all geared to set the stage on fire on 10th August. And they did. So did every participant at the event! It was truly an enriching experience to see students our age go up to the podium and speak that well with only an hour's preparation. How well informed they all were! The first prize was bagged by St. Joseph's team- well deserved, I must add. There is always a lot to learn from such competitions whether you win or not. This too, we learnt at this very competition. But, more than anything this program set me thinking. It urged me to ask that one question that we often overlook... 'Why?' Why are competitions such as these, held? They are naturally, to build up our confidence, to enhance our speaking abilities and to train us to think on our feet, of course! But what worries me here is something else. Why must we train in double-speak? In doing a volte-face at the drop of a hat? Or rather, at the ring of a bell? There seems to be something sleazy and sinister about the whole thing.. Something dark.. Something that we see and yet don't. Something that's more than plain obvious. I'm disturbed because we've all seen our politicians play this game. Everyday it's someone new playing the same old, filthy game- Being a turncoat. Indulging in double speak. I reproduce here three statements on the same issue (attacks on Indian Jawans across the LOC) made by our dear Defence Minister over a period of three days, as broadcast on all leading news channels last week.
Day 1: 'Five Indian Jawans killed by terrorists on the Line of Control.'
Day 2: 'Five Indian Jawans killed by terrorists in Pakistani army uniform!'
Day 3: 'Five Indian Jawans killed by Pakistani Soldiers.'
So, this was the Honourable Defence Minister, Shri A.K Antony playing, and coming off tops, I'll have to add, in the Nationals of Turncoat! Very inspiring sir. Coming back to the competition, it was a super hit. Look how far it made one think! 

Megha Rathi  











Previous
Next Post »