As usual, I was returning from my classes (I am a media student) in the evening. It was perhaps Friday as we had film screening. Since the screening got over around five and it was a cold winter evening, I left my institute along with my friends for the bus stop.
It was already getting dark so I boarded a crowded bus. The conductor gave me his seat. After few minutes a guy asked me to hold his packet containing God knows what. I took it and then looked up to see who gave it (it should have been the other way round). Anyways, I saw that he was a Muslim. I could make that out from his dress and beard.
The bus got all the more stuffed after few stops and that guy sort of got invisible. Don’t know how and why a thought crossed my mind- who was he? Was he a terrorist? I sort of started touching the packet carefully to make out what was within. I was a bit anxious.
However, when the bus was a bit vacant, I saw that guy sitting somewhere in the front. He turned back and saw me staring him. He came, smiled, took the packet from me and said shukriya (thanks). I was really embarrassed and could just somehow managed to smile back.
I despised myself why did I think like that. Not that it was bad to suspect someone. But I never suspected anybody whose display was not so apparent. Just because he was clad in his religious attire more so because he was a Muslim, I thought him as a terrorist. I never suspected any person who was not a Muslim. How stupid is that.
In India, terrorism has become synonymous with this religion. No I don’t belong to the school of communalism. Not all Muslims are terrorists but most of the terrorist attacks are carried out by Muslims.
People tend to overlook the fact that there is more to terrorism in India than Kashmir. Naxalism has infected the heart of India including Orissa, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. LTTE is active in South India and Maoists and ULFA are active in the north eastern part of India. No part is untouched and reports prove that all these terror groups help each other to carry out their operations.
Its time that we pay some attention to other parts of terror struck India and not confine our concerns to Kashmir. And much before that it is required that we unite from within.
It was already getting dark so I boarded a crowded bus. The conductor gave me his seat. After few minutes a guy asked me to hold his packet containing God knows what. I took it and then looked up to see who gave it (it should have been the other way round). Anyways, I saw that he was a Muslim. I could make that out from his dress and beard.
The bus got all the more stuffed after few stops and that guy sort of got invisible. Don’t know how and why a thought crossed my mind- who was he? Was he a terrorist? I sort of started touching the packet carefully to make out what was within. I was a bit anxious.
However, when the bus was a bit vacant, I saw that guy sitting somewhere in the front. He turned back and saw me staring him. He came, smiled, took the packet from me and said shukriya (thanks). I was really embarrassed and could just somehow managed to smile back.
I despised myself why did I think like that. Not that it was bad to suspect someone. But I never suspected anybody whose display was not so apparent. Just because he was clad in his religious attire more so because he was a Muslim, I thought him as a terrorist. I never suspected any person who was not a Muslim. How stupid is that.
In India, terrorism has become synonymous with this religion. No I don’t belong to the school of communalism. Not all Muslims are terrorists but most of the terrorist attacks are carried out by Muslims.
People tend to overlook the fact that there is more to terrorism in India than Kashmir. Naxalism has infected the heart of India including Orissa, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. LTTE is active in South India and Maoists and ULFA are active in the north eastern part of India. No part is untouched and reports prove that all these terror groups help each other to carry out their operations.
Its time that we pay some attention to other parts of terror struck India and not confine our concerns to Kashmir. And much before that it is required that we unite from within.
No comments:
Post a Comment