Satyameva Jayate -The New Moral Police?

Satyameva Jayate, the now not so new talk show has garnered positive responses from the media as a unique show which is bringing the "issues" to the drawing room. It is projected as a one of its kind show which is aimed at sensitizing the "masses". The actor has received praise for his social responsibility.What has not been written outside the academic circle are the issues with the show.
Before even getting into the show and the format, a look at the promo videos would be an interesting exercise



If we look at each of these videos, it is a tone of a parent teaching the child "Don't do this otherwise I will lock you up in the dark room" or "Do this otherwise I will call the ghost". There is an undeniable power equation in such a form of interaction. The parent gets to decide what is right, what is wrong, the parent never gives reasons as to why a certain thing is wrong, there is no scope for discussion or looking at the child's perspective. This is also the same tone in which students are talked down to in school, where the teacher gives a pure nugget of truth which is to be swallowed by the student, there is no scope for questioning or discussion, the truth becomes truth because it has come from the teacher and the teacher knows. Here we have the program or the actor playing the parent/teacher for us. The intention is not to say that one should bribe or drink and drive, but the point to be focused is the tone of the dialog (If it can be called a dialogue). "Don't do this, for Satyamev Jayate is watching. " I don't think what us "poor masses" were lacking was fear, I thought we already had enough things to fear about. If only things were so simple!This was also the same idea which was used to justify colonialism, "White man's burden" it was the responsibility of the colonialist to bring the uncivilized masses out of darkness, it was his responsibility entrusted by god to teach them right and wrong. It was a divine scheme to aid the masses out of misery. Now coming back to the promotional videos, here we have the actor bearing the burden of civilizing his "miserable country men", his shoulders droop with the responsibility to educate the masses. It is not the people's perspective that is being brought to the forefront, instead it is the perspective of what is deemed right by the "Indigenous colonialist" that is being thrust on the "masses". Similar to the colonialist discourse even the colonized elite were below in hierarchy than the colonialist, every body fits into the description of the "mass" that needs enlightenment. Another interesting point to be noted is the aesthetics of a saint, that the actor imitates. It is not that of a rationalist but that of a saint, one who is emotionally attached to the "cause" and "feels" deeply. The repeated focus on the tears is a testimony to this. The intention could be that "the tears of the saint have transformative power", a saint doesn't win over people by reason he wins over people by charisma, people follow him and listen to him because he is the "saint". Another trivial point to be noted is that like all saints, this one is also backed by the wealthy corporates!
Now coming to the "Effects" of the program, the program claims to have brought about a change in the "issues" it brings to the forefront. I understand the impulse to show the utility of the program but to claim that it brings about a change overnight is a dangerous phenomenon. I would even agree with awareness but change? If it were so easy and was about a talk show by a Bollywood actor, why were we sleeping all these years? And what about all the pain staking work that the administrative systems do (or are supposed to do). Or is change now a consumer product I see an ad, I have the money I go and buy. There are even doubts about advertising having so direct  and immediate affects in case of consumer products.
"All this is pointless talk, the guy is trying to do some good let him do", one might say. But I definitely do not want to go back to the time when I would say "I will do this because he (the lord) told me, obviously he knows what is right and what is wrong". I refuse to be led by an Indian colonialist who talks down to me. For once can we talk like equals?
"I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think"- Socrates!