War or Competition?

Is it war or competition?
Today I happened to watch a new reality show Sur Kshetra (Area of Music) on television. The programme is named after Kuru Kshetra (Area of War) where the famous battle was fought between the Kauravas and Pandavas in the mythological epic Mahabharat.
The reality show is basically a music competition between the budding singers from Pakistan and India. The aim is bring the two nations together through music.
The concept is good as the ordinary peace loving citizens of both the countries want to see their nations in a friendly relation.
But instead of a healthy musical competition, the way the programme is developing it appears more like a battle. The words and phrases, which are used and the expressions of the team leaders are full of scorn.
I understand the expressions and choice of words is to symbolise a war - being fought with music and not with weapon.
But there was something in the programme which made me uncomfortable. The programme has phrases and gestures which are hostile. When the aim is to build cordial relation through music then why start in a negative way. How can someone think of striking a friendship or strengthening friendship with hostile looks and sharp tongue - I fail to understand. I have already started silently praying for India and am no more able to appreciate the wonderful singers of Pakistan!
We have seen - over the years - every time India and Pakistan are playing cricket it become a battle of national pride. It no more remains a game.
Same way this music competition too has become a kind of war and no more its an innocent programme.
The programme has though beautiful singers from the two countries and I think it could have been a better programme if it was planned and formulated on a positive note!

If you love her, beat her!

"If a husband beats his wife, there is nothing wrong in it".
"Because if a man looks after his wife very well, there is no harm if he indulges in violence. He can raise his hands on his wife".
Doesn't it sound shocking?
It would sound more so when you know that this 'beautiful' observation was made by none other than a man sitting at a high status in the judicial system of India. Yes, these lines came from a High Court Judge in the state of Karnataka.
A woman had moved the legal system seeking divorce from her husband. Her plea w as that her husband abuses her and beats her therefore she wanted to get away from him.
The reason was good enough for granting divorce.
What the court could have done was to establish the truth. If the woman was stating facts she should have been granted relief.
But what the court did was to solicit its most weird advice to the petitioner. The court said - "A woman should maintain balance between her role as a mother and a wife - between her responsibility of bringing up children and her married life".
Sadly, this is not the first time such an observation has been made by the court. Earlier also a court had observed that "There is nothing wrong if a mother-in-law kicks her daughter in law with her leg".  
So, the judgement is on the expected lines - after all its a man's world, where a woman's dignity and respect are alien words and carry no meaning!
Why do people forget that a woman not only creates a new life but also makes a home and ensures life to all residents of that home and in return she often sacrificing her own welfare!
However, incidences like this explain the situation and status women are living in (in India and even abroad) in the 21st century - as second class citizens.
A United Nation Population Fund Report mentions that around two third of married Indian women are victims of domestic violence. Also, over 55 per cent of women face domestic violence, especially in backward states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. More so, about 70 per cent of married Indian woman between 15 and 50 years of age face violence in some form or the other - it can be domestic violence like beating, physical and mental abuse, rape within marriage or forced sex.
What worries me as where do women activists vanish when these kind of judgements are announced!
Why these stories make mere nine line news hidden in a nondescript corner of a Hindi newspaper?
When will the time come when newspapers will make space for such shameful incidences on their page one?
Does someone has any answers?