DON’T POISON YOUNG MINDS

A perplexed Faiz ran towards the adjoining mohalla to look for his wife. Yes….she was there…..and she had created a scene. People were trying to stop her but she was hysteric. She was throwing stones at Maulvi Yusuf’s house…..a number of window panes had been shattered… and a petrified Maulvi sahib was shut inside his kitchen.

KASHMIRI YOUNG MINDS

“Halima….Halima….come with me…” Faiz pleaded.

“No……today I will kill this wretched snake….he has no scruples….why did he not send his own son the harm’s way?……..He misquotes religious texts to misguide young people……he gets paid for it…….I will burn his house today…” As Faiz tried to get hold of her, he noticed that she was carrying a match box. She took off her scarf and quickly set it on fire. The women of the village were somehow able to stop her. Halima was then pacified and brought home. With great difficulty she was put to sleep.

It was not for the first time that Maulvi Yusuf was confronted by a woman who lost her son to terrorism, only this time, it was. Amir, the only son of Faiz and Halima who had been killed in an encounter. As is the practice, Amir and his accomplices were given many hours to surrender. Parents of these young boys were brought to the encounter site and allowed to make requests on megaphones for surrender; however, the boys did not do so and kept firing. Only Maulvi Yusuf knew that these boys had been threatened of dire consequences if they surrendered.  He was happy that they did not do so because now he would claim the remaining money for recruiting these youngsters from his mentors.

Maulvi Yusuf took a sigh of relief as Halima left.

Faiz too was relieved with Halima having slept. Perhaps, rest will reduce her grief and anger. He went and sat on the stairs at the entrance of his house.

“Oh God….not him.” He muttered as he saw Abdul, his nephew parking his car outside the gate.

As Abdul came in, Faiz told him what Halima had done.

“Don’t mind but I would request you to leave before she wakes up.” Faiz requested him softly.

“Uncle….Amir was my dear cousin…..I am proud of his sacrifice…..he is a martyr.” Abdul said while softly touching Faiz on the shoulder.

“Why did you not die with him?” Suddenly Halima’s ear piercing voice broke the silence. She had woken up and had heard what Abdul was saying. She got hold of Abdul from his hair and started pulling them hard.

“Why did ‘you’ not become a martyr…. you scoundrel….? You were always misguided Amir….” She was trembling with anger. Faiz pulled her back and said – “Halima….control yourself…!”

“Why have you not picked up a gun yourself? Tell me?” Halima shouted while in firm grip of her husband.

Abdul stood there, shocked and insulted. He gathered courage and replied……

“Aunt, everyone need not pick up a gun……educated ones like me are contributing in a different manner……”

“Ha…I know your contribution…” Halima said sarcastically. “You spread hatred and poison the minds of young people through social media.  You do not want things to be peaceful because it will affect your ‘shop’. Your business lies in sensationalism…or people won’t read your posts. While you also get paid by your mentors across the borders, you still ask for contributions from people as if you are doing a noble job for the society….…….don’t I know the truth?”

“No…..that is not the case…” Abdul responded sheepishly.

Halima was now becoming calmer ….but strangely, Faiz was getting angry ….

“She is right. People like you are responsible for the systematic mind poisoning……you thrive on hatred …. and young men like Amir pick up guns after reading your radicalized stories and posts…..” Faiz said with clenched teeth.

“And today you are here to get another story……you will now write an emotional narrative about us having lost a son. You will present everything as part of something noble …..but the fact is that there is no need for boys to pick up guns. What have we achieved with guns in last three decades? And what is the ultimate reality? It is that you get killed if you pick up a gun. Amir and other boys were given complete freedom of surrendering……but they did not…because they would be called cowards by hate mongers of social media like you…….get lost now!!!” Halima shouted and went inside the house.

This was a bad day for Abdul. As he was leaving, Faiz did something totally unexpected…….he suddenly came in front of Abdul and with all the force he could generate, slapped Abdul on the face.

Koi farq nahin padta inko, ki kitne log marte hain… Yeh woh haiwan hain jo aag ko hawa diya karte hain.

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