We woke up on our 62nd Republic Day, 26th Jan 2011, to a sad news. I have been meaning to write this blog in its immediate aftermath but I have been down lately, disappointed by a few of my recent failures in life. But as we all know, that is how life is and I hope or rather believe that good things are on their way. As far as the news report is concerned, yes, I am talking of the barbaric murder of Additional District Collector of Malegaon, Yashwant Sonavane in Nashik District.
Personally I feel that the state of affairs today is what I will term as a Banana Republic.
We have a fear ridden society and a corrupt, arrogant ruling central government and old men lolling around in a pile of cash blaming the Hindustaani Culture for the decline of the Nation's Pride. One of my most favourite (re-iterated time and again) quote goes as -
"The world is an evil place; not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."
Albert Einstein
On 25th Jan, we saw a brave example of men who do something "about it" which eventually led to the gruesome death of Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne. We are well aware of how the diesel mafia operate by adulteration. If statistics are to be believed, thousands of crores of rupees are siphoned off through this route. One of my friends always asks me a question when I say my life (whatever the years it has) is going to be fraught with tough, bloody and dangerous battles because of what I am and what I wish to do; she says, "How can it be so, you're not expecting someone to pick up a gun and shoot you down, right?" Technically speaking, yes, that can happen but my point is - the real question is not about fighting someone outside you, it is about defeating the inner evil and fear within. The battles are about our souls, not our bodies. Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne has won that battle. He did not let the evil outside corrupt his soul. This man could have drove by easily without bothering to look up on the suspicious movements of his killers at the roadside hotel but he did not; and there lies the greatness of the soul. To my friend who asked me that question and to those who ponder over it, I don't think Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne expected to turn into a ball of fire and die, but he did. He died for sticking by ethics. He paid a heavy price and his family would pay a greater price - the pain of loss.
We never know when that sword of death will swing across us but we do know how to live till that moment; it is just about whether we decide to act what we know or pretend to not accept the truth and move on. Yes, this incidence is sure to send a bullet of fear towards those of us who believe we can contribute a lot to this nation's growth and can drop a thought - "What if I die?" As always, there are multiple sides to this matter. We can call this man a fool, forget about him and his sacrifice and go back to our "normal" lives or we can do something about it. We can let our confidence waver by the negative result of Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne's brave act of defiance and duty or strengthen it and resolve to make things better by viewing the upside, i.e. the last attempt of the great man to take down his attacker with him into the waiting arms of death when he pulled Shinde into a death hug inflicting 75-80% burns. Even when death was certain, Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne did not forget his duty. The man was on fire and yet he acted in a way only great fighters can - they fight till death. There are no answers to questions like "Why do the flowers bloom?", "Why does the Sun rise?" or "Why do the rivers flow?". The only way is to accept the common explanation to each question - "Duty". Similarly, it is the duty of evil to do evil and likewise our duty to do good and fight evil. Evil is rising exponentially; it is about time we find our 5. (with ref. to 5 Pandavas)
My sincere appeal to the political class, please don't make a mockery of this great man's sacrifice. Instead of visiting his family and shedding crocodile tears, go after the criminals and exterminate them; clean up this scandal and after it, many more diseases this nation is inflicted with. It is said that we can only comprehend the true value of something before we get it or after we have lost it. We lost a great man a few days back. We have been losing great men and women over the years; men and women who have been fighting to keep the hard earned freedom, a freedom dark red with blood. This post stands as a humble tribute to Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne for his selfless sacrifice and for fighting till death. His actions and his will stand immortalized in the annals of this nation's upcoming resurgence. To the man's memory and his family I say, we the youth, will......
Keep Fighting....
Live Free....
Jai Hind!
Personally I feel that the state of affairs today is what I will term as a Banana Republic.
We have a fear ridden society and a corrupt, arrogant ruling central government and old men lolling around in a pile of cash blaming the Hindustaani Culture for the decline of the Nation's Pride. One of my most favourite (re-iterated time and again) quote goes as -
"The world is an evil place; not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."
Albert Einstein
On 25th Jan, we saw a brave example of men who do something "about it" which eventually led to the gruesome death of Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne. We are well aware of how the diesel mafia operate by adulteration. If statistics are to be believed, thousands of crores of rupees are siphoned off through this route. One of my friends always asks me a question when I say my life (whatever the years it has) is going to be fraught with tough, bloody and dangerous battles because of what I am and what I wish to do; she says, "How can it be so, you're not expecting someone to pick up a gun and shoot you down, right?" Technically speaking, yes, that can happen but my point is - the real question is not about fighting someone outside you, it is about defeating the inner evil and fear within. The battles are about our souls, not our bodies. Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne has won that battle. He did not let the evil outside corrupt his soul. This man could have drove by easily without bothering to look up on the suspicious movements of his killers at the roadside hotel but he did not; and there lies the greatness of the soul. To my friend who asked me that question and to those who ponder over it, I don't think Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne expected to turn into a ball of fire and die, but he did. He died for sticking by ethics. He paid a heavy price and his family would pay a greater price - the pain of loss.
We never know when that sword of death will swing across us but we do know how to live till that moment; it is just about whether we decide to act what we know or pretend to not accept the truth and move on. Yes, this incidence is sure to send a bullet of fear towards those of us who believe we can contribute a lot to this nation's growth and can drop a thought - "What if I die?" As always, there are multiple sides to this matter. We can call this man a fool, forget about him and his sacrifice and go back to our "normal" lives or we can do something about it. We can let our confidence waver by the negative result of Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne's brave act of defiance and duty or strengthen it and resolve to make things better by viewing the upside, i.e. the last attempt of the great man to take down his attacker with him into the waiting arms of death when he pulled Shinde into a death hug inflicting 75-80% burns. Even when death was certain, Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne did not forget his duty. The man was on fire and yet he acted in a way only great fighters can - they fight till death. There are no answers to questions like "Why do the flowers bloom?", "Why does the Sun rise?" or "Why do the rivers flow?". The only way is to accept the common explanation to each question - "Duty". Similarly, it is the duty of evil to do evil and likewise our duty to do good and fight evil. Evil is rising exponentially; it is about time we find our 5. (with ref. to 5 Pandavas)
My sincere appeal to the political class, please don't make a mockery of this great man's sacrifice. Instead of visiting his family and shedding crocodile tears, go after the criminals and exterminate them; clean up this scandal and after it, many more diseases this nation is inflicted with. It is said that we can only comprehend the true value of something before we get it or after we have lost it. We lost a great man a few days back. We have been losing great men and women over the years; men and women who have been fighting to keep the hard earned freedom, a freedom dark red with blood. This post stands as a humble tribute to Add. Dist. Collector Yashwant Sonavne for his selfless sacrifice and for fighting till death. His actions and his will stand immortalized in the annals of this nation's upcoming resurgence. To the man's memory and his family I say, we the youth, will......
Keep Fighting....
Live Free....
Jai Hind!
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