I got a little tired of believing
that the man who died during demonetisation
while standing in a queue
of a heart attack
was any less important
or not gold-medal deserving
than the man who can throw a javelin
further than others
with the help of an Australian coach
and a German or two for good measure
I got a little tired of believing
that all North East are Chinese
except for Mary Kom and Mirabai Chanu
and Lovlina Borgohain
and all Kashmiris are terrorists
or anti nationals
and that Parul Khakhar is a literary naxal
so called by saffron brigade extremists
fantatics and fundamentalists
who are good at the art of doublespeak
who say Gandhi and Godse are patriots
who say one Indian killing another is not a sign the killer is not a patriot
who get Padma Shris for doublespeak
I got a little tired of believing
that migrant labourers who died walking
back to their villages during Covid
and Dalits and tribals displaced from their homes
and no one saying a word against it
or bodies washed up ashore
during a deadly pandemic
and the breakdown of the health care facilities and insfrastructure
due to lack of planning
while statues and bullet trains get crores
and a temple that serves no one ill
are all signs that we are progressing
I got a little tired of believing
that the jobless youth are happy
that the ones speaking against reservation are right
that there is something called love jihad
that the threat to our peace is from inside
that all Bengalis and Keralites are red
and being a Maoist in India is a crime
and a lot of other bullshit
Most of all I got
a little tired of believing
that Modi knows what he is doing
anymore than Shah or Yogi
anymore than any human being
and the Sensex must be lying
and that inflation is good
and the price of petrol has to keep going up
and that many have to die
for the good of one
so the nation can be great again –
all a lot of trash and tripe.
Dr Koshy AV
Editor of Fasihi Intenrational Magazine
Director, Autism for help Village Project
