(Our young contributor Abrar Khan is a student of St Aloysius College. That he has a mature head over his young shoulders is proved by his thought-provoking write-ups. - Editor-in-chief)
by Abrar Khan
Mangalore, Oct 12: You're a traveller coming down from Mumbai to Mangalore. Just when the sun was smiling at you early in the morning, you are distracted by a cracking sound made by the stone that crashes its way through the glass panes of one of the windows. A mob surrounds your bus, pulls the driver out and welcomes him to the city with a slap or two across his face, and pulls you along with the other fellow-passengers down the bus. You see burning tyres, more stone-pelting, more breaking of glasses and hear slogans all around. What would your state be?
It's not just the tale of a traveller. Even the ones residing in the city are victims of 'bundhs'. As part of some kind of a political agenda, a limited few decide to shut the city and life comes to a standstill. Whether the agenda is achieved or not, the political fights continue but during the bandh, the common man suffers.
The reason quoted for most of the bundhs is the 'goodwill of the society' which is in most cases merely a camouflage to cover the satanic political intentions. But do the organizers of bundh really bother about that a major chunk of the society whose bread depends on the daily wages they get?
The ones who have kept their little shops open on a bundh day seem to look like clowns to most of us, making fools of themselves. But do we really see their inside story? Do the organizers of bundhs really bother to consider the fact that some may have kept their shops open just to get some kind of financial returns for the day, in order to feed their children at home, while being well aware that they are taking a huge gamble and risking their life for the cause of their family? Do the organizers of bundh do anything for the ones who are on the verge of having a massive health breakdown but not knowing where to go and whom to go to?
The ongoing communal tension in Mangalore is an ideal example of what a bundh can do. Arson and looting was carried out in broad daylight during the bundh. It is typical of any communal riot case which goes by Newton's law of 'every action has an equal and opposite reaction'. In case of these riots though, the reactions could be not just equal, but sometimes, even more than that. In response to a murder carried out by a fanatic, the ones from the other group would take the life of an innocent.
Yet another striking aspect we observe when riots take place is that while the people from all communities in our city are longing for peaceful co-existence, it is the people who are brought in from some other place who create trouble and that is what actually happens most of the time. But the point is, if we know that it is the people of some other place who are responsible for the killings, why the hell do we go out and kill the innocent ones from the other group from our own town?
Where are our senses at that point of time? Moreover, we fail to realize this crystal-clear fact, time and again, that when you do some damage to the other group, there is bound to be some kind of retaliation. In return, damage is done to the ones who initiated the scheme of things and you get back what you give. When you know that nine out of ten times your actions are going to boomerang on your group in general, if not you in particular, why damage the other group? Above all, it is in the name of the religion that one group fights the other, doesn't it? Why is that one fails to realize that every religion preaches peace and patience and no religion advocates violence and killing of innocents?
The scenario of an imposed curfew is no different. One cannot help envying cats and dogs and other animals that walk about freely on the streets with nobody to question them.
Political and fanatic organizations dictate the state of things. Most of us blame the politicians; curse the trouble-makers and what not? But amidst all this, little do we realize that we ourselves are responsible for such nuisance in some way or the other.
If one looks at it analytically, he is bound to realize that most of the troublemakers are from a low caste and low socio-economic group. Some, with their religious brainwashing for the cause of their political agendas, recruit and employ youth from such background. Tempting them with liquor and money, they exploit them to the maximum in their endeavour to disturb communal harmony, thereby creating vote banks on communal lines. These are the real satans, the 'real' trouble-makers and not necessarily the ones who we see burning tyres and looting shops.
Why is that even after 59 years of independence, the country remains 'underdeveloped' with poverty and unemployment still prevalent? It is the 'grace' of such politicians who do not want the country to develop. For that will take away the ignorant and poor youth that they use to create communal trouble, away from them. We, the people, need to focus on the all-round development of our nation so that poverty and unemployment is reduced and that way we could reduce the already depleting number of youth 'working' for such politicians.
The general public in itself is a formidable force. It can overthrow the strongest of ideologies if it decides to do so. If we go ahead a step further and think rationally, we will realize that a few politicians and fanatics are no match to a huge united general public if and when they are determined to achieve something, irrespective of religion and caste. We have done it in the past; there's no reason why we cannot do it again. Have we forgotten the way we fought together for the freedom of the country? Many are of the opinion that it is practically very difficult in a country like India to fight issues like these, as India is a country of many religions and there is diversity. If that is the case, then how was it possible for us to overthrow the 'Raj' that specialized in 'Divide and Rule' policy?
A collective effort is of paramount importance at this point of time. for the cause of a healthy society and a peaceful nation. It is the need of the hour, although it is something that may look difficult.
But, as they say, 'Omelettes are not made without breaking eggs'.
Daijiworld Special Stories on Bundh and Curfew
Mangalore Bundh and Violence - Complete Coverage with Photo Albums
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