26/11 : One Voice - Will it ever be yours???

TWEET this post of you like it.

Subscribe. Know of New Posts via Email.

B

I am an Indian - a common man but in no sense 'average'.

I find myself in the blue room of a venue that is holding political speeches. I hold a special pass issued to non-political party persons acquired to get some photographs and autographs of some of the affluent gathered.

The next political member is late for his speech and it will take at least 10 minutes for him to reach the dais. The crowd is a 1000 strong. 5 minutes of nothing on stage in front of such an overwhelming crowd could result in restlessness and 10 could cause damage.

They pick me up off the blue room in a hurry and put me on stage to entertain the crowd with anything I can. My orders are clear - "Do whatever you want to, just occupy them for 10 minutes."

And there I was - suddenly facing the huge crowd.


I have no entertainment agenda in my mind. 26/11 approaches, I visualize the graphic scenes of the Taj Carnage and adrenaline rushes in, takes me over and I let out all that was bottled up for years.

I take the mike. I look at the 1000 pairs of eyes staring back at me, clench my jaws, part my dry lips and let the words come out in slow but sure footings........
.
.
.
"GOOD EVENING...", I utter.

The BOOM of my 2 words ring across space and I sense the sudden silence in the crowd as I wait for a few seconds for them to settle down and focus on me...and then I go on..

My name is not important. The color of my skin, my life style or what religion I follow are not as important as my nationality is. I....am an Indian and I am your brother. So hear this:

All across India, something is stirring. What the Politicians of our country never want to acknowledge is that it has never been about them - It has always been and is - about Us. Us - the people of the country.

Even as I speak, there are those, across our borders, devising plans to divide us. There are those who embrace the leadership of "kill to achieve" and thrive in their thoughts of pushing us - you and me - back to dark ages, poverty and slavery.

This I say to them...Beware: This is not an old country in chains anymore. You are now looking at a New India. The India with intelligence and strength enough to protect itself and standards to beat any other. So either you accept us as a force to recon with or upgrade your own standards.

Time has changed. This is not a Hindu India, not a Muslim India, not a Marathi or a Bhaiyaa India anymore.
To those who see it in such a light are to be pitied, for in this erroneous belief, they themselves become a target by evil that is eager to once again try the 'divide and Rule' within us.

The only India that is now and one that we choose to have is the one that is UNITED in diversity - like the 5 fingers of one hand. We fight and we swear, we cry and we share. But we behave like a family.

My dear India,
DON'T we collectively become sad as a nation when we lose a match?
DON'T we shed a silent tear when our Soldiers lay down their lives for us?
DON'T we hold our heads high in pride when one of us makes our country proud?
DON'T we come together as one in Joy when we celebrate our diverse festivals?

YES we do !! Physically divided by states - Emotionally United by the Tri Color.

But what about the basics?
When you see a hungry child begging on the street?

I ask the so-called caretakers of this Nation...and in the same breath to YOU and my own self..

How can you allow this kind of suffering ?
How can you allow this kind of hopelessness to exist in our country?
With a billion thinking heads, is poverty an impossible monster that can't be wiped out?

Can we afford to lose the generation of tomorrow's doctors, leaders, scientists and teachers to poverty? Can we?

What is that belief that keeps us going? It's a belief that we live in a country that gives us our freedom of choice. Each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives as we will.

Remember 26/11 - when Mumbai was Raped??
Were you there to light the candles at the citizen Peace march?? Or did you just see it on TV? The souls of the dead must have expected you to be there with them....one last time. Were you there??

Without saying much about that ghastly RAPE....
I only urge the stronger hands of our elders and leaders to hold us tight and tell us that they will not let go the next time.

In the worst of the storm,
in the fieriest of the rains,
let those that are in power join hands tighter than the grip of mountains and surround us with their protective shield and keep us safe.
when we need them the most....let those hands pledge to be there to protect and guide us in our times of need.

India, we cannot turn back now. we must pledge once more. Pledge to march proudly into the future, our heads held high.

Make a promise to make a change.

Change will happen when we come together as one and demand:
New ideas,
New Politics,
New responsibilities
New accountabilities and
New approach towards the bright future that we march for.

Let us make that change.
And that Change does not have to come from India. Instead, it has to come TO India. WE......are that change.

ONE voice can make a difference.

One voice can change a room.
if it can change a room, it can change a City.
if it can change a City, it can change a State.
And if it can change a state, it can change a Nation.

AND IF it can change a NATION......IT CAN CHANGE THE WORLD !!!

YOUR ONE VOICE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD !!
(but will it ever be yours?)

God bless Mother India !!! JAI HIND !!!
-
-
-
-
-
And....they ask me to come back as I see the next speaker ready for his speech. I realize I had taken exactly 9 minutes and a few seconds to let my feelings out. And I suddenly wondered - how can something bottled up for years be told in mere 9 minutes and a few seconds?

"Thank you for bearing with me" - I silently tell the open eyed faces and clapping hands and I head off the dais and for home.

(This blog post is a work of fiction. The intention of this write-up is not to hurt anyone's sentiments in anyway whatsoever. The photographs are for representation purposes only.)