A family which didn’t succumb to the communal atrocities in the nineties, a family that showed umpteen amount of courage as an Indian and stayed in their motherland, and rightly so, has lost their son in a gruesome murder. The son, who without caring about himself, enthusiastic about working for the society, chose a social life and in the process lost his own life. But we’re busy playing or supporting the “blame game”, it is truly sad to see such degradation of the human intellect.
Ajay Pandita didn’t lose his life just because a so-called terrorist group carried out the murder, no; he got killed because we, as Indians, have allowed that. We’re too busy with our selfish lives, that we never cared. Even now, we are talking about how sad it is over social media but, the moment we see another funny video or meme, we’ll probably forget everything about this murder. We the people of this country are responsible that such acts can be carried out in this country, within its own geo-political boundaries, in front of our own eyes.
Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg address stated that, “Democracy is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people”. We all know this definition but only two third of it, that too not fully, is practiced. The most that we follow, or love is “for the people”. We want our government whomsoever it may be, to solve all our problems irrespective of the nature or the hierarchy of the problem. We’re all united the moment someone talks about how, the government doesn’t work or in today’s terms, “how a government failed us”. That attitude is nothing, but a subtle way to play the “blame game”.
We do take part in the second part of the definition, “by the people”; but not fully though. It has never been the case that 100% of the population of this country exercised their voting rights, but when it comes to asking for help or criticizing it, we’re all in, now that is not fair.
But the most important aspect of the definition, that we seem to never follow is the very first part of it, “of the people”. Why would a learned man that Abraham Lincoln was, start his definition of democracy with that line and why almost all of us don’t even care about that part? The simple answer: it is the hardest part.
Our job as citizens doesn’t stop at just electing and criticizing the government, it should rather start at running it. The government is nothing but a machinery of the people of a country and it is created, so as to function according to the requirements and demands of the people, but if the people don’t demand, the government need not act. If the people only demand futile things like money, home etc. then the government can utilize those urges to play “vote bank politics”; and that is what happens. But who is to blame herein? It is only us who should be held responsible. It’s High time we realize that.
We, the citizens of this country need to wake up, we need to understand our rights and at the same time our responsibilities. We should not only ask for selfish favors but should also voice our thoughts for the entire nation, and by extension every other citizen. Long have we been in slumber. Long have we been ignorant, irresponsible and devoid of cognitive prowess. Long have we been oppressed by various entities. Long have we been witnessing horror and still kept silent. It is high time to break that silence, it is high time to let everyone know, what we the people seek – it is time India; we stand up.
Promise today, you’ll never forget Ajay Pandita, promise you’ll never forgive those who took away one of our sons, promise you’ll fight for his justice till it is done, promise to be responsible and disciplined. Promise, India shall never cry again!
Nobody can enter our homeland and carry out such heinous crimes if we’re vigilant enough. Nobody should be able to even enter our motherland if we are careful enough. Nobody should even have the thought of harming India, if we are stringent enough. Nobody can bring any harm to us, if we are responsible enough.
India, it is time to rise above personal interests; it is time to think and act for the Nation as a whole.
India, it is time to rise above differences; it is time to be united and create a single, unified voice, against terrorism.
Long live Ajay Pandita (Bharti)!
May you find justice soon, may your soul rest in peace.
JAI HIND!
