We all love to be loved, to be understood by people and to be happy.
Look around yourself, don’t you see the love? Your friends, family, teacher or maybe you yourself. Who understands you better than you yourself? Don’t we all wish to be understood by others just like we understand ourselves and be loved just like we love ourselves.
We all love our country for its diversity – where we understand each other and accept various, often opposing, thoughts and opinions.
However, I only see hate everywhere around me.
Every time, I open my eyes, I see politicians using spiteful words to destroy all the love that surrounds me. Then I see the people who clap and cheer during those rallies.
I wonder why these people support the rising tide of power that is only going to misuse its position for profit. For them, love exists in boundaries, it exist in cages that are bound by rules. Rules that tell you that this particular ideology is superior and everything else – anti-national. Rules that favour the power groups who survive because of their supporters. We believe in love but unknowingly end up spreading hate, designed and manufactured by those groups.
I want an India where I am allowed to make mistakes, to learn everyday and to express myself fearlessly.
But a sense of fear is slowly creeping into my conscience even as I write this piece. I’m scared to the extent that I might even get killed for saying all this, but I’m taking this risk to remind you all of the love you’ve forgotten.
I sometimes wonder why they rush to kill those who hold opinions different from theirs. And why they’re scared of educating the youth? Are they really that scared of being questioned?
Perhaps, because what they are doing is the complete opposite to what we are taught.
Why did they remove the chapter on democracy from class IX textbooks? Why are they so scared of that chapter? Do they want to impose a dictatorship?
In my early days at school, we were taught a poem: “Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isaayi, sab aapas me bhai bhai“.
These words were so common and close to us that we never imagined that we would have to struggle so much to achieve that love and peace today. I think it’s high time that teachers, parents and other adults start introspecting and listening to what their children have to say.
What’s wrong with these adults? They teach us about love and practice hate. Why are they trying to kill humanity and our bright futures?
I love my country and we must never forget that no government, whether it’s the BJP or Congress or any other political party, constitutes India; we, the people, constitute it. We are alive because of the love and harmony that, thankfully, hasn’t faded out completely. Otherwise, we all would have fought with each other by now and dug our own graves.
And to all the people who support hate, you are just like me – a common person who is capable of spreading love. Yes I am a child! And I wish to remind you all who taught me what love is and is now trying to take it away from me.
If you really can’t see the groundswell of hatred, then I must say you are the one furthering it. And because of you, fascist groups are gaining power. What do you get from killing people? It reminds me of Nazism. If you think I am wrong then please question what you think is right.
We are so busy with our lives and fake WhatsApp messages that we hardly see the truth.
If you are one of those who has forgotten how to love, look into the eyes of children, in their pure ‘idiot’ hearts, in their dreams and in their way of seeing life. And then try to reason what you believe. I know that you know way better than me but please question what you believe.
I am sorry to say that the power you support is dark and absolutely illogical. I’m sure you wouldn’t like an India full of hate, you won’t like your rights and freedom taken away from you.
If you are one of those who consciously uses religion as an excuse to harm people, you are not a true Indian and not even a true human being.
We, the people of India, believe in love, truth and humanity.
We do not want a country that stops us from getting an education, that stops us from questioning, that does nothing expect killing each other.
The national anthem, we all stand up for and respect, was written by Rabindranath Tagore who once said, “patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter, my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamond and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live.”
I’m the next generation of this country reminding you of the love and humanity amidst all the hatred. My humble request: please don’t choose a Hitler next time, or you’ll be the reason for the death of many Anne Franks.
Pakhi Jain studies in Class 12.
Featured image credit: Unsplash