Amid the rising instances of communal violence in the country today, a moving post on Facebook highlights how though we may be living in the 21st century, we have also regressed as a society.
Facebook user Sam Ish who, according to her page, lives in Kottayam, recently put out a post narrating an incident her parents experienced over three decades ago.
On November 1, 1984, just a day after then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her bodyguards, Sam's parents were travelling in a train to Delhi from Mughalsarai.
While they knew that the situation was tense, they were oblivious to the riots that had broken out across the country.
The compartment they were in, had a young Sikh couple who were "scared and worried".
"A little distance after Banaras, the train was stopped by a mob and they started checking each compartment. Like Muslims of today, the Sikhs that day were suddenly enemies," Sam writes.
Frightened of what could possibly happen to them, the wife of the young Sikh man began to cry.
"But the India of 1984 was not as impotent as the India of 2017. Every one sprung into action," her post continues.
The compartment doors were closed. A Muslim lady gave her burqa to the Sikh woman. People helped the man cut his hair as he stood frozen.
When the rioters reached their compartment, the passengers argued with them and managed to convince them that there was no Sikh person in their midst, following which the rioters left.
Sam writes, "No one, NOT a single person in that compartment, either by word or action betrayed the Sikh couple. But that was then. And this is now. Somewhere between 1984 and 2014, Indians lost that spine."
"Now they bow and scrape and are ready to kill a Muslim, any Muslim, justify rapes of Muslim children and clap and cheer at the horrors Indian citizens face in Kashmir or Chattisgarh, and hack down fig trees if their favourite saffron-clad mob-leader tells them to. It is heartbreaking to see such dimwitted and spineless humans," she added.
Her post has struck a chord with many and has been shared over 2,500 times on Facebook.
Read her full post here.
On November 1st 1984, my parents were travelling to Delhi from Mughalsarai. News hadn't reached them that widespread riots had broken out across the country, post the assassination of Indira Gandhi. They just knew that Delhi was tense.
Mum and dad were one of the two young couples in that carriage. They had celebrated an anniversary. The other was a Sardar couple married barely a month ago. Who were scared and very worried.
A little distance after Banaras the train was stopped by a mob and they started checking each compartment. Like Muslims of today the Sikhs that day were suddenly enemies.
The Sardar boy's wife broke down. But the India of 1984 was not as impotent as the India of 2017. Everyone sprung into action. They closed the compartment door. Since the girl was very nearly hysterical with fear, an old lady, who perhaps had never shown her face in public, took off her burqa in that crowded compartment and quickly hid her. Sikh men are bound by religion to keep their hair long. Those were to be cut. And fast.
Someone handed him scissors.
That is a scene that my father never forgot. As the Sikh boy took off his turban and started to cut his hair- a part of his identity- his hands started shaking so badly, he just couldn't. He froze. Dad and one other man helped cut it. And cut his beard. While tears fell down his set-as-stone face. Mum, the lady who had given her burqa and the now-hidden Sikh girl sat huddled. They were surrounded by the men in the compartment and the Sikh boy sat on the top berth.
When the rioters entered the compartment a few men went ahead and argued with them. Some professed that they'd themselves kill a Sikh had there been one. They lied and argued until the bunch of assholes moved on ahead.
No one, NOT a single person in that compartment, either by word or action betrayed the Sikh couple.
But that was then. And this is now. Somewhere between 1984 and 2014, Indians lost that spine.
Now they bow and scrape and are ready to kill a Muslim, any Muslim, justify rapes of Muslim children and clap and cheer at the horrors Indian citizens face in Kashmir or Chattisgarh, and hack down fig trees if their favourite saffron-clad mob-leader tells them to. It is heartbreaking to see such dimwitted and spineless humans.
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