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नेताओं से आशा है की बिल पास करेंगे

कभी तो लोग रिश्वत लेने से डरेंगे

कब तक लोग बाबुओं से लड़ेंगे

कब हमारे बिग्ढ़े काम बनेंगे

कब तक ढूंढते रहेंगे लोग कोई सिफारिश

कब ख़तम होगी घूस की यह बारीश

और नहीं सही जाती यह खालिश

अब यही है हमारी छोटी सी गुजारिश

क्या फरक पढता है; RSS हो या अन्ना

यह काम तो तुम्हे अब है करना
अपने पुराने कर्मों से तुम मत डरना

कभी तो तुम्हे भी अपना क़र्ज़ है भरना

Damned If You Do; Damned If You Don't

Tariq Ahmad Bhat; a local shopkeeper assaulted on December 3rd died a couple of days back; succumbing to injuries incurred during yet another protest in Kashmir. He was not attacked by the cops, the army, or by  terrorists; but by protesters who had called for a bandh. That is not even really the point here; but it definitely does highlight the dilemma an average Kashmiri lives with.

Since the Kashmir issue has become...well an issue ; it has been mostly treated as a political problem. Its has either been viewed as either a Govt. of India v/s the separatists/terrorists or azadi or pro-India/Pak concern. With the governments of two very influential (nuisance value in case of Pak) states directly involved in the region; the Kashmiri people have more often than not seen their concerns being put on the back-burner. And as long as these two countries continue to behave like egoistic school bullies; sadly the situation will continue to remain the same. With highly polarised positions assumed by the two countries it has not been easy for the people of the state to not align themselves with one or the other. It is in such atmosphere that an average citizen of the state finds her/himself in a dilemma. Imagine the plight of the person who just does not want to assume any position. Contrary to what most political people might quickly term as being passive or ignorant behavior I believe it requires much more courage not to go along with any position.

Tariq Ahmad Bhat on December the 3rd made a choice that cost him his life. He chose to live like a normal person, to open his shop, to make money and that in the eyes of the protesters was nothing short of treason. Tariq was hit with cricket bats and the stones he refused to pick up.

It does not matter what stands everyone involved has assumed, it does not matter what happened in the past, it does not matter who the land belongs to. If we cannot guarantee the right to live, the right to earn one's livelihood; everyone is doing something wrong.