by Sonali Bakshi, 19th of May, 2023

Despite of many reported and more than many unreported bullying cases the fact cannot be denied that with a change in the system and accessibility of unfiltered knowledge through internet and various OTT platforms , the ways of what is termed as ‘fun’ in the name of bullying has evolved too. People have begun enjoying letting down, demoralizing, mocking others and in many a cases physically assaulting as well in the name of bullying. It is no more just a mere gesture of ‘Jahapanah tussi great ho tohfa Kabul Karo'(dialogue from a bollywood movie – 3 idiots) which one can expect only as a fresher in the engineering college rather it has become a common problem amongst children in their daily lives and unfortunately it has spread to the schools too. The sad part being that there is no defined specific anti-bullying laws in India but again I wonder that shouldn’t behavior of children be something that parents and educational institutions should be capable of moulding before it gets out of hand and requires a legal intervention? I hope & pray that the children of our country learn moral science, value education and imbibe humane behaviour as much as they succeed, progress and learn technologically advanced things so as to have a holistic development of not only being a well read, knowledgeable, successful grown ups but also a good ‘human being’ first.

“I’m stunned to see the kind of bullying kids are facing these days. It is common for kids to ridicule someone based on their colour, height, weight, even blemishes on their face. Name-calling, homophobic slurs or joking about somebody’s parents separating have been normalised,” says Pragati Rao, a psychologist who has worked with several schools in Delhi-NCR.

And it’s starting young. Very young. “Children in kindergarten are being ridiculed about their appearances or weaknesses such as stammering by other kids. I have also received complaints from teenage girls that they are bullied by peers for not following fashion or social media trends,” said Bhoomika, a Gurgaon-based school counsellor.

Experts attribute this expanding scope of bullying in part to children’s easy access to unfiltered information and becoming opinionated, individualistic and unforgiving about differences very early through what they hear and overhear and see on TV and social media, which a child begins consuming very early because of the easy access to phones. ( source – https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.timesofindia.com/city/gurgaon/why-bullying-is-a-bigger-problem-today/amp_articleshow/90620039.cms)

Here’s a poetry written by me based on the same topic hoping that the ones who come across this write up spare some thought on it, discuss and have a word about it with their own children and children around them and try to inspire them to follow the simple golden mantra shared in the concluding stanza of this poetry.

Iski khilli udi aur usko laga chamaat
Par no need for me to react
Kyunki I am off their hitlist chart.
Waise bhi they target only the weaklings
Aur I am a ‘regular average’ type you see
Na iske fatte me na uski team me
Neutral is what I choose to be !

Toh chahe jo bhi ho mere saamne
Mai karta hu conveniently eyes closed
Kyunki BULLYING is a hush hush word
We don’t discuss it nor against it we revolt… !

Aur aise hi sab chalta hai jab tak ki knocking at my door it doesn’t really come,
Where unnecessarily I am made to feel less, touched inappropriately all in the name of fun !

Fir ek din unfortunately to my disappointment meri bhi baari aayi,
Piche mud kar dekha maine toh
Even best friend ne aankhe churaayi,
Kitna helpless mehsus hota hai aise me
I now for once understood,
When physically and emotionally I was being tortured
And to oppose it nobody stood!

Unity me strength hai , respect n equality best hai
baatein ye junior school me rehte thi suni,
Bade hote hote morals aur values ki pata nahi kyun dhajiyaa thi udi ??
Jo saare ekjut hokar in mannerless bullies ko unki actual jagah dikha de
Toh civic sense aur humanity ka inko bhi thoda life ka path padha de.

‘NA TARGET KARENGE, NA TARGET HONE DENGE’ jo follow kare yeh ek maatra golden rule ,
Tab jaake banega yeh samajh sahi maayine me equal for all and truly cool !