A Simple Promise

From shock to grim hope, from grim hope to anger, from anger to more anger, and from more anger to much much much more anger, from that much anger to the unfruitful (or fruitful) sojourn for justice, and from that, may be, acceptance. May be not. Not for everyone, definitely.

That journey from shock to acceptance, that for most of us, is the toughest journey. It varies. Some of us take dwindling paths that envelope us, some of us set out on a lifeboats trying to cross the Atlantic, and some of us roll dead down on the slope from top to the bottom of a mountain.

But somewhere, in between or after that journey, we crave for justice. Because we deserve it. At least my friends do.

We want justice, because we believe in the fact that "everything" could have been avoided, if only those responsible were 'responsible' enough (Am I pointing at the dam officials who failed to give a siren? or the HP government who could not put a single caution board? Yes).

And as this craving for justice rages on, I am duly aware of the beautiful system that would hear our plight. Its not that I don't believe in it (as a matter of fact, I don't), it's just that Justice is something that is served rather very cold and in less quantity in India. (Remember Uphaar Cinema fire? Read this: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/uphaar-fire-victims-kin-demand-law-to-hasten-justice-540863 )

And I wonder. "Who are the people that we are really fighting against?"

Aren't we fighting a Cinema Manager? A construction engineer? A regular middle class dam official (or high end one)? An operator of a Siren? an officer in charge of patrol? Or even official(s) of the state government? 

Are these people, not one among us? Oh wait! sorry, "Were" this people not one among us once upon a time? Haven't time and ill disguised education took them from "one of us" to "one of them", "Convicts", "irresponsible humans who do not weigh any value to human life"?

Well, we know. They were, definitely (and hopefully), once, one of us: A student.  

Is it too much to ask this from each one of us?

In a similar way, I am pretty sure that students of today, would have their share of education, success and money and go on to become a manager or an engineer, or an official, or a public servant for some government. We could very well "be" in some of 'their' shoes in time.

And it is then, when few of us really make it to those places, that we have to remember what it takes to be on the wrong side of someone else being irresponsible, what it takes to feel helpless, what it takes to crave for justice. If we just promise to be careful and responsible in whatever we do tomorrow, wherever we are, however we are, we are delivering justice, we are at least avoiding someone else's cry for justice.

It is about us being true to ourselves each and every day. It is about avoiding this. It is about putting value to human life. It is about upholding our 'duty'. It is all about remembering this moment, and our friends.
It is about us making a simple promise today: We will never be one of them.  

Take care.

#JusticeForThe24