Unholy nights

This is a time of turbulence and tumult for the  largest democracy in the world. The spirit of democracy is being threatened by divisive forces and the people are taking the streets to show their discontent. It was quite disheartening to see the unrest in all cadres of the society starting from students, universities, media, political parties and agitated common man .The fabric of a secular India envisioned by our forefathers and what we enjoyed partially in our generation is under threat by a majoritarian government with divisive policies and the people are left to fend for themselves taking to the streets demanding justice and equality.

Though its encouraging to see a mass reaction to injustice and quenching of a secular spirit by the general public I was also surprised why there were no reactions in similar vein when two states of our nation namely Jammu and Kashmir and Assam were used as a prelude to the gross political exercise which were about to unleash upon the whole nation? There were shutdown on internet and imprisonment of political voices within the states to forcibly achieve the political motives of a disillusioned government. Where were our brethren when there was mass imprisonement of public voices and when the whole nation was kept in dark about the atrocities in Kashmir?I soon realized that the only reason for our late reaction to atrocities in our nation is because we humans don’t bother for our own fellow brethren unless and until our own backs are on fire. Only when the government announced that there will be a nationwide census and implementation of citizenship act the  unified protests started .Is it not a form of selfishness on our part to maintain a stoic silence and fail to see the suffering of our fellow brother and sisters in this great diverse country? Are we so naïve to think that what happens in one corner of the nation will not catch up with us? I wish we had lesser threshold to show our displeasure against political decisions which may not directly concern us nevertheless may affect our fellow country men thereby creating  a strong democracy with penchant for unity within diversity.

Ironically the first Christmas was localized to Bethlehem, a tiny inconspicuous place in Judah due to a census carried about by the then King Augustus Caesar. Of course there was no documentation of a malignant divisive intent behind it nevertheless the consequences forced Mary and Joseph to “return” to their native place to register their citizenship and take part in the census.I only hope and believe a similar  massive population movement due to this political exercise in our nation would give birth to hope in the minds of the displaced knowing that the god of this world was also a victim of a similar circumstance forcing his birth in a manger in a cold night.Let my actions spread this message of solidarity of the living god to the people who are experiencing fear and alienation because of this chaotic totalitarian non inclusive political agenda.

To a government unmindful of the plights of its citizen and intransigence many more unholy nights of suffering will follow the common man.I wish Harish Khare is true that the “The Modi regime has ordered its own custom-made Achilles heel.”

May the good lord help me to stand up against the forced coercion, and speak up rather than watchfully wait for a spontaneous breakthrough from heavens !