Ganders and geese

As the international press put it, in a rare show of unity this week amidst the republic’s fractious politicians agreed to convene a national conference to try to sort out the terrorism factor. The last time the national lot got together on the same topic was two years ago and the grand meeting fizzled out into nothing.

This love-fest was prompted by the suicide bomb attack of July 1 on Lahore’s Data Darbar shrine that killed 42 worshippers (majority members and all of the deprived variety) and injured some 200. What is known as the Punjab Taliban is the main suspect. This act of violence was unanimously – politicos, religiosos and all – vociferously ‘condemned’ and the country saw many protests, demos and city shut-downs. A somewhat different reaction to the event of May 28 when in two ‘places of worship’ of a minority community just under 100 people were slain as they prayed and a larger number were injured. The reaction of the majority – politicos, religiosos and all – was comparatively rather muted. It raised no suggestions for a national get-together.

So, majority is majority and minority remains minority — and never the twain shall meet. The constitution, the laws, and the national mindset dictate that what is sauce for the gander is not sauce for the goose.