“India is my country, and all Indians are my brothers and sisters. I love my country and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.”
It has been more than 20 years since I led this pledge in the morning assembly of our school, with more than a 1000 students repeating each line after me. It gave me goosebumps then; just thinking about it gives me goosebumps today.
Dear fellow countrymen, I am a proud Indian who happens to be a Shia Muslim. Why I shared my religion will be soon be clear.
While I was young, we used to have these stencil maps which we used for tracing the map of India during Geography classes at school. I always loved the way India looked on the map – a lady wearing a saree with one hand stretched out and a crown on her head. When I grew a bit older and found out the actual area under Indian control, I was very disappointed and frustrated. Kashmir is an integral part of our country, how dare anyone snatch it from us?
One of the times when a photograph filled me with rage was many years ago, when a front page photograph in TOI showed a dead Indian soldier tied up on a log and being carried on the shoulders of two Bangladeshi army men. I don’t know how many of you remember it, but I do.
I have always been a supporter of our Indian cricket team. I’ve had heated debates with my cousins across the border; my friends on Facebook have been witness to many. There were some Muslim classmates in college who used to support the Pakistan cricket team; I had a heated debate with them as well. I remember a Hindu girl in my class came up to me later that day and told that she was happy to hear my views. But I wasn’t happy at all. Why was she surprised? Isn’t India my country?
I have been to Pakistan. There happened to be three blasts in a row when I was in Lahore. Shia Muslims are being butchered by terrorists across the border. But what I took from that trip was just the love we got from common people. Essentially, the bottom line is to never generalise. There are good and bad people everywhere.
An online debate with a junior from college, who is from Kashmir, was probably the first time I completely lost my temper. I couldn’t understand why he hated India so much. Why was he studying in Delhi? Why use our resources and hate us too?
But the last couple of years have been shocking. The amount of hatred is unbelievable! The reason behind this hatred is propaganda spread through social media, our biases, and our lack of awareness. Everyone is quick to jump to conclusions, quick to share things which promote generalisation and hatred. We don’t even stop to give a thought to what impact they might have.
There has been a post going around for the last couple of years about a bar in the shape of Holy Kaaba in New York, which is actually an apple store. But Muslims have hitherto been abusing the United States. There was a video from Afghanistan which flamed the Muzaffarnagar riots doing rounds.
We do not know how to use social media. Repeating what my teacher Prof PK Basu once said: If you are sharing something, you are attaching your name and reputation to it.
So make sure what you share is authentic. Always mention and verify the source.
I have always been the one to condemn any wrongdoing, even if it is committed by those from my own community. This, I believe, is the key for peace – we must all start following this mantra. I made a post few years ago; a fabricated story to explain the concept of Palestine. Many appreciated it. A few days ago, I made another post using another example to explain the Kashmir problem. This time, there was a clear divide based on religion – those who understood and those who didn’t. This is very unfortunate.
A lack of correct information has serious potential to bring this nation down, or at least to take it back decades. Instead of working together for the development of the country we love, we are wasting time and resources in futile infighting. I wonder how many of my fellow countrymen know the following:
- Kashmir was an independent state to begin with. Pakistan attacked it, they asked India for help. India said you join us, and then we will help you.
- PoK was never part of India. There was a war between India and Pakistan in 1948 and after the ceasefire Pakistan held its occupied territory.
- India went to the UN, where it was decided that after Pakistan vacated the territory it held, India would move its forces back as well (only leaving the numbers necessary to safeguard the borders). After this, Kashmiris would be given an option to decide who to join. India at the time was very confident of having popular support.
- Over a period of time, frustration in the local population kept building, thanks to the inaction by the Indian government and propaganda by Pakistan.
- In the 1990s, Pakistan-based infiltrators along with some locals started a campaign against the local Hindu population. They drove out the Kashmiri Pundits, and in turn the Army entered to flush out the terrorists.
- Collateral damage was the entire population of Kashmir, who had nothing to do with the terrorists. It became a vicious circle. The Army suffered setbacks – they were on tenterhooks as well – but this resulted in the local population turning against them.
- It is important to note that in 1965, the local people in Kashmir had supported the Indian Army against the Pakistan army.
Apart from a lack of authentic information, the other major problem is the problem of “But”.
I have my sympathies for the kids being injured by pellets, “but” what were they doing outside? (There were many who were shot inside their homes.)
...but what about the Kashmiri Pandits? (Of course what happened to them was wrong. Who in their right mind can deny it? Pakistan-backed militants had a role in this, and not the entire population of Kashmir was against them, then or even now.)
...but what about our own soldiers? What about their injuries? (Of course it is unfortunate; they are our blood, sons of this soil, many coming from poor families leaving behind their young wives and kids.)
Demolishing Babri Masjid was wrong... “but” Mughals also demolished so many temples. (Like really? So can we agree on how back we all are willing to go to justify the wrongdoings of present times?)
Gujarat was sad “but” what about Godhra? (Of course, no one in their right mind would support the burning of the Kar Sevaks. It was a barbaric act and the guilty should be severely punished, I repeat, the guilty should be severely punished.)
This ‘but’ keeps the discussion in an infinite loop with no end to it. And who is at the losing end? Not your ego, but this country. The one you say you love. Ironic, isn’t it?
Majority of Indians are living with this false bravado. We will support our army blindly, we as a nation cannot do nothing wrong. A reality check is what the doctor ordered. For instance, do you know about Point 5353?
It is still a grey area. If you say you love India, what is India? India is not just a piece of land. India is the people who live in it. Not just your relatives, everyone loves their relatives. India is the complete strangers you meet on the road. Love them if you love India, without asking their name or religion. Be kind to everyone. Feel the pain of everyone.
Before today, I never used to think that my name makes a difference. But now, when so many old friends who have been with me for decades misunderstand me and question my patriotism, it is indeed sad and unfortunate.
This post is for you. We all love India. You love India, I love India too. Let us work together to make this country strong. And this can happen if we just stop for a second and think about what we are about to share online. For those who are blind in hatred, I don’t need a certificate of patriotism from you.
Perhaps I love my country more than you. You are hell bent on burning it down, while I refuse to let you. I will continue speaking in support of my fellow countrymen who are being wronged. As Rahat Indori sahab rightly said, “Sabhi ka khoon hai shaamil yahan ki mitti mein... Kisi ke baap ka Hindustaan thodi hai.”
Jai Hind!
(A social media strategist on professional front, Asad Haider Zaidi is the co-founder of ShouldertoShoulder movement – an initiative launched to promote universal brotherhood across different communities. He utilises his highly imaginative, creative and determined demeanour to spread the message of goodness, humanity and love in society during current times.)