I've been a citizen of Mumbai by birth and I've grown to learn that this city has always been the vibrant, 'on-the-go' ones.. a city that never sleeps. But sadly with passing times, all we've been subjected to is terrorism which has killed and tortured one and all.
Every morning when I read the newspaper all I read is about deaths across our country, killings in the name of religion, caste, sex, creed.. Politicians talking about 'Hindu Terrorism' and 'Islamic Terrorism'.. and then building the issue up in a storm, which more often than not ends up in nothing but political agenda for the next elections.
I want to know for how long will this continue? Does it matter what religion the killer belonged to? For how long will my parents spend tense days, wondering if their daughters will reach home safely back home? Why do we let politicians escape the wrath and play the blame-game every time, even as the good and sincere police, army and navy officials fight to save our lives?
Why did the GM of Taj have to lose his wife and three children just to save his guests? Couldn't he have been selfish and run away to save his family first?
Why is all we are doing is sitting at home and setting 'Gtalk Status messages' that show our anger but more so throw light on our helplessness?
Can't we do anything? will we always sit in our cozy homes and wonder when things will change? I'm sorry to say but I have done so myself for all these years. But I've watched this entire episode sitting up all night yesterday and seen how all politicians have done is added their agenda to the entire episode the next morning rather than calling for measures to ensure this wont happen again.
Why don't we have even one politician who can stand up and say that its not time for any elections but for us to cure our country of this situation once and for all?
I want to live free, I want to do my bit.
I'm going to walk silently, from our college to wherever I can till my voice is heard.
I request all of you, who believe that we've had enough to join me. Lets get all colleges around our area and mumbai and all b-schools to stage this walk-out together, open to anyone to join, any common man, who feels he needs a change.. and NOW..
Regards,
Devvya"
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This is an email that a friend of mine sent to our class Yahoo! group.
Lemme tell you a little about myself - I hail from the east of the country and live ( or exist - my choice of word depends on my frame of mind at the time) in the financial capital of India - Mumbai. I have seen and learnt quite a lot from my time here... from the violence against non-Maharashtrians to indifferent "mind-your-own-business-apun-ka-dhanda-ka-time-don't-waste" philosophy, it seems quite overwhelming to the uninitiated... one can point out a million things that is wrong about this mega city but there is one thing that's right about this place that wipes out all of these - it's got it heart in the right place.
Today my home bleeds - bullet ridden and media "weary" (or is that wary?)... a few hundred people have died in these henious attacks while politicians keep fumbling for answers. Devvya's mail filled me with feelings that ranged from anger, anguish and angst. I haven't stepped out my flat for 2 days gripped with unease and the fear of the unknown. With Led Zep, Rastaman Marley, Floyd and Cobain's Nirvana for company, I stare into the grey skies with a prayer on my lips for those whose lives have been turned upside down with this tragedy. I am cynical enough to believe that terror will strike again... my question remains - do we now need "A Wednesday" to cure the mailaise?
Would like to sign-off with Bob Marley's words that have kept me going:
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: dont give up the fight!
Preacherman, dont tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you dont know
What life is really worth.
Its not all that glitters is gold;
alf the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. come on!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: dont give up the fight!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: dont give up the fight!
Most people think,
Great God will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. jah!
Get up, stand up! (jah, jah!)
Stand up for your rights! (oh-hoo!)
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up!)
Dont give up the fight! (life is your right!)
Get up, stand up! (so we cant give up the fight!)
Stand up for your rights! (lord, lord!)
Get up, stand up! (keep on struggling on!)
Dont give up the fight! (yeah!)
We sick an tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin n goin to heaven in-a jesus name, lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you cant fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light (what you gonna do? ),
We gonna stand up for our rights! (yeah, yeah, yeah!)
So you better:
Get up, stand up! (in the morning! git it up!)
Stand up for your rights! (stand up for our rights!)
Get up, stand up!
Dont give up the fight! (dont give it up, dont give it up!)
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up!)
Stand up for your rights! (get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up! ( ... )
Dont give up the fight! (get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up! ( ... )
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
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