Straight From the Heart: Dushman Kaun?

Enough is enough is enough.


Almost three generations have grown since partition. If nuances can tell, the events of '47 are referred to as partition or independence, depending on which side of the great divide one belongs to. We have had enough of hatred and mistrust and suspicions.

Did I say enough? Evidently, not enough for some of the fringe groups in our two countries. Their existential raison d'etre survives on profligating this hatred. If there are any undercurrents of understanding they will eventually wither away if not fed some tender loving care.

Granted, I have been away from the subcontinent for a long time. Granted, I tend to look through rose tinted glasses. But you will also have to grant me the perspective that distance lends.

No mother would like the look of a body bag. This universalism applies across all religious, national and ethnic lines. We are foolish to deceive ourselves in the guise of nationalism. Unity based on hatred cannot solve the problems of the region. Nationalism alone is the refuge of fools. The multi-nationals that control our financial lives are laughing all the way to the bank. Peace and harmony, whether in this region or anywhere else is not in their best interest. This needs to be driven home at every opportunity. If the world is to be a true global village, it need not be at our expense.

Let us ask ourselves another question. Locally, who gains most by perpetutating this chasm, this hatred?

The top four groups on this list, in reverse order, will be the civil service (the bureacrats, the establishment, the administration) the politicians, the defence establishment. And overshadowing over everything like a massive radio active mushroom is the fascist fundamentalist.

These groups have to be addressed and tackled.

Now there is a recipe for head and heart aches.

This work has to start immediately at the grass roots level. Who will do it? How long will it take? The burgeoning lower middle to middle middle classes alongwith the educated will have to shoulder this responsibility with cooperation from any and all. This may take another few generations. Hey, who said it would be easy?

I am aware of some NGO's (Non Government Organistations) that are laying the ground work. They need to be encouraged and supported.

Let the researcher and the statistician tell us how much of our budget we spend on defence capabilities; what percentage of the gross domestic product does that amounts to - and compare those figures with what we spend on education and other basic amenities.

I am only a poet who trans-creates poems in English and Ghalib's Hindi. I have dreams and visions. But one thing I can guarantee. If only 10% of what we spend annually on defence establishment is diverted to education and provision of basic amenities for our citizens, we will be way ahead in ten years.

This is an almost impossible task. This will need a lot of resolution and determination on our parts. After all 10% of billions is still billions of rupees and dollars. The powers that be are used to receiving it and will not give it up easily.

To achieve lasting peace and good neighbourly relations in the region we have to stand up. Stand up not only against the bureacracy, the politicians , the defence hierarchy and the fundamentalist extremists but also against another powerful element. The almost omnipotent multi-nationals with their arrogance and green bible. Our only hope is that they listen to the reverbrations in the market place.

The moderates in Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims (both Sunnis and Shias), Buddhists, Jains, Jews and Parsis should stand up and assert themselves. Only by forcefully asserting our moderateness can we hold the extremist elements in our respective religions in check. And gain back the mantle of our fine heritage that has been hijacked by the hardliners.

If all of us stand up and be proud of our heritage, exercise moderation and fight to keep the extreme elements in check in our backyards, our parts of the world can be a lot better place.

We should stand up and act against extremism of any and all kinds. Let there be! Live and let live! Let us be counted. Let our mantra be:
Moderates of our world unite. Silent majority speak up.