What are we seeing today ?
Is it the truth ?
Is it fair to all concerned ?
Will it build Goodwill and better friendships ?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned ?
This is the 4-way test for all Rotarians.
But it seems more appropriate that we apply this to each and everyone of us before we cast any aspersions.
Today morning I saw a minister making the most of a grim situation. I saw him playing to the gallery. I saw him whip up rhetoric. I saw two mutilated bodies of the perpetrators of a carnage being dragged with a rope and brought to rest spread-eagled on the floor for the cameras to record disdainfully.
I saw our security forces eject bullets from the magazine of the AK 47 carbines and arrange them neatly along with other arsenal recovered.
I saw them rummaging through the clothes of the dead attackers and ruffling through their pockets for signs of identity or evidence.
I saw two men who had done all this and I felt sorry for them. I felt they had been brainwashed by a few handful who are out to create chaos and anarchy where there should be none. No one in his right senses would go out and do this knowing surely that he would not live to see another day.
Only the coercive power of money or fanatics could do this.
Or maybe well planned vendetta as seen during assasinations.
Whatever it was it did not need the histrionics of our well heeled politicians but a quiet and thorough investigation by our sleeping Intelligence. No need to showcase this carnage to our volatile public sentiment. What do we want ? Do we want more senseless violence ? Or do we want a sensible solution. Grow up India !
We can and we will. Lets get introspective. Lets become responsible for all that we see and do. Lets find answers amongst ourselves. Stop blaming our neighbours for taking advantage of our own fallacies and face reality. We made a mistake once - we won’t do it again, Period. Slap hard on the wrist that rears up towards us and cut it off from the arm if necessary but stop rhetoric and playing to the gallery. If you want to do something, then do it, but stop harping about it and running off to all and sundry pleading with them or presenting your side of the story. We do not need to justify our actions for defending what is rightfully ours. We only need to assert that right.
Two misguided youth are not our enemy. The enemy is within. Wake up to the machinations of our podgy politicians who survive only on controversies and hatred mongering. Is calling a total shutdown of the country the only way to expressing our sadness ? Will it in anyway provide solace to the families of those killed or will it incite more tension and violence in its aftermath ? I personally am concerned about where we are going but am I doing anything about it ? Yes, in my own small little way - I have initiated a dialogue with all you folks at Mouthshut - wake up to reality and lets all make a difference ! Amen.