For those active on social media, Purvi Thacker from India and Sarah Munir from Pakistan are familiar names, ever since Purvi’s #Get SaraToIndia hashtag recently went viral online.
For those not familiar, Purvi and Sarah have been best friends ever since they met at the Columbia School of Journalism back in 2011. It was but natural that Purvi wanted Sarah to be her bridesmaid at her wedding that is to be held in Mumbai in December this year.
The only hitch: Sarah was reportedly denied a visa to visit India, thereby interfering with her travel plans so as to make it to her best friend’s wedding. That the ongoing cross-border spat following the Uri attack could well be the actual reason is anybody’s guess.
That was when Purvi decided to post her quandary on both Twitter and Facebook. It was on 01 November that she wrote:
“For all those who know mine and Sarah Munir's friendship, you will understand how heartbroken we are that her visa application to India for my wedding in December was denied.
That my best friend cannot be there for what will be my biggest day is something that I cannot come to terms with….Sarah has visited India and I have visited Pakistan, where we have stayed with each other's families.
Her ammi and abbu are like my own and her family and siblings are like my own and we have visited mosques, churches and temples together. It's not until our respective countries/governments remind us that it is unusual for us to be doing those things together that we think of each other as "Pakistani" or "Indian"…..
We understand that our countries shared history has huge economic and political implications, but it also takes a toll on normal mundane things like human relationships and connections…..Being friends and being there for each other should not be this hard just because we were born on different sides of the borders…..”
The best friends are reportedly overwhelmed with families, friends, colleagues and even total strangers pitching in with a tremendous outpouring of support on social media.
But the one person who can actually turn the tide in their favour remains unusually silent. Sushma Swaraj -Union Minister of External Affairs- who is known for her prompt responses to SOS calls to her ministry seems to have turned a deaf ear to their urgent pleas for help.
Both Purvi and Sara continue to hope against all odds for a miracle at the proverbial last moment …hope the miracle-maker @SushmaSwaraj is listening!