Hope in The Time of Crisis

Like every other year, this year too I thought of trying out my luck by applying for DV. And with the situation that our nation has been stuck in for so long, I was very sure I’d apply for DV this year. However, like every other year, I didn't try this year either. I am almost certain I am not the only one who thinks of leaving everything behind and taking off in an airplane to a faraway land. Think of it; we have no safe drinking water running in our taps, let’s not even talk about fuel and cooking gas shortage. On top of it all, when the electricity went off at home for more than 12 hours yesterday, I was sure that this country is an uninhabitable country and I was applying for DV, the first thing today. Well, some of my plans never materialize.

But this godforsaken country is such that you can’t even abandon it so easily. I really don’t know what I mean when I say country. Am I referring to the impotent, imbecile government which has failed us so many times or am I referring to the fellow citizens who are so resilient and adaptable and who will forget the crisis the day it’s over or do I mean the physical structure and geography of this country which is so rich in biological and cultural diversity and at the same time which has proven to be a curse for being landlocked and squashed between two giants?

This article is not to demonstrate my nationalism though. This is my only way to voice my opinion and express my helplessness. Because someone may be fighting for their rights but here I am, unable to attend my classes in college and for somebody’s right to protest, my children have had to give up their right to education. I am afraid many of such kids living in their parents’ daily wage and meager earnings may never go back to school again. Sending children to work is the most convenient alternative for parents to raise family’s income. Especially when the children are out of school for a prolonged time, parents are much likely to send them to work and earn money. My children represent many such children of our country living in dire poverty who are extremely vulnerable at the moment.

Yes, that worries me and to see people trying to justify the movement and violence and killings and “peaceful protests” worries me as well.

This is my only way to speak out for my children who are forced to sacrifice their right to education simply because a certain section of the society feels it right. I am speaking for my friends and colleagues who spend most part of their day talking about how this ongoing crisis is affecting their daily life. I am writing this for the old lady I met at a shop today who had bought a mud coil heater which would normally cost 150 Rs for 1200 Rs. This is for my friends in college waiting for the classes to resume so that the course would complete on time. This is for my sister and many to-be-bride and grooms who had dreamt and planned for their wedding day for so long and are now completely unaware of how they are getting married. This is also for the many children and women I work closely with who are surviving on bhaat and jhol. This is also for the many sick and poor people who have been denied medical services because the hospital is unable to do so. I am also writing for those who have to spend their days and nights queuing up for fuel and gas cylinders. This is also for petty shopkeepers and industrialists who are facing immeasurable losses. 

This is simply not about not having the basic essentials for our daily life. This is about losing our dreams…losing our hopes. This is about wanting to give up. This is about fearing for our lives and for the lives of people we love. Yes, we need change and revolution but "Revolutions never go backward". In our context, I am afraid we are going backward. 

                          

Nonetheless, here is my attempt to conclude it with a hope that tomorrow brings us better news. Let's hope that the government addresses the needs and demands of all and the schools, colleges, hospitals, industries function smoothly at the earliest.