Demonstrating Jalandhar by Demons

HONK, HONK…..HONK…..!!
“Dunno what haapened…, though lights are working well but still traffic jam!!”“I see some more cops than usual there at the pavement…”

Once standing at one of the crossing in my city, I heard these conversations and soon:
“Jalandhar’s voice against terrorism…
Attwaad de khilaaf saare jaane awaaz uthao...
Jalandhar ki awaaz, Aatankwaad ke khilaf…!”

Well these were the slogan being chanted on one of the rally accompanied by some city’s renowned leader and some well known businessmen. What I saw was about 200-300 student wielding some banners depicted: “Aatankwaad hatao, Bharat khushaal banao”. I don’t think there is any need to mention the subject for the rally. It’s blatant from the shibboleths: To fight against terrorism and condole the victims of 26/11, Mumbai. After dilatation of about 1 hour in my schedule I finally get back to my place. The rally startled me and I was somewhat glad that people in my city are aware about the country’s peace. Probably because this was the first ever such rally I saw in the city.

Five months later, the news ‘Curfew in Jalandhar over attack of religious leader in Vienna’. This news stunned me like those of 9/11 and 26/11. Media was informing about the situation of the city. Two trains were burned, one ATM was set fire, Roads were jammed by PROTESTORS, Cars parked in front of the restaurants and hotels were conflagrated. Such was the loss as a result of the riots. Nobody was there to stop the riots and the mob was simply doing whatever they wanted.

Now if we look at the Mumbai attack and the Jalandhar Protest, can we differentiate these two? Perhaps on the basis of nationality of assaulters, number of assaulters and may be the arms used. The terror arose in Jalandhar was no less than that in Mumbai. At both places, people feared coming out of the houses, faced inconvenience in traveling, complete city was closed. But even though we blame that terrorists are snatching our peace and harmony. Another question in my mind, ‘Was this the reason, the rally five months ago was marched for? Is this all people were cognized for by various political leaders throughout the country?’ Hats off to the so called Protestors! One person is attacked overseas, and the followers start protesting in other country and that too not in front of mere peasants at 18 o’clock. I ask, ‘Which government would hear you at that time of the day?” And what such PROTESTORS want to show? Perhaps not more than the only adage they know, “Union is Strength”. But only few in this world know that using your strength on impeccable peasants only shows your cowardliness that even though you are myriads of people but still couldn’t convince anyone keeping yourself serene. Burning trains and ATMs and creating mobs over roads is not the way to protest against something. And yes, ravaging car showrooms and pillaging vehicles for your personal use is not what someone call a protest. Inculcating a child of mere 9-10 years to participate in the mob and embroiling your older ones in the house to sit at the center of roads is not the answer to the question.

On one side, we Indians want peace, we mourn about the loss in the wars may it be of 1961, 1965, 1971 or Kargil. And on the other, few of such Indian PROTESTORS ‘fight for peace’. I agree that they sternly believe in unity but someone please let them know also that Charity begins at home. Assailing our own faultless countrymen only persuade other attackers, make them more confident and us more vulnerable. I don’t think billows of fumes out of the burning trains had smothered the attackers in Vienna, nor did the barricades used to impede mob in Jalandhar hindered them in fled away. Did they? Why such agitation here then? If the militants in Mumbai were shot at to death and seized, won’t the Vienna attackers be?

The need of the hour is not rallying on the roads against the terrorism but it demands mutual understanding among each other within the country, stern reasoning and awareness about your and more importantly about others’. Being free doesn’t mean to do whatever, whenever you want but doing something that not only is according to your will, gives you pleasure but also doesn’t exasperate or vex others. Let’s we all take care or each other and the country would take care of everything pertaining to us be it our religion, religious leaders or Victoria Terminal.

Live and Let others live to keep all of all of us unite .