THEY COULD HAVE COME FROM ANY OF OUR HOMES

In the one of the greatest Hindi movies, ‘Deewar’, Vijay Verma – Amitabh Bachchan – is born to very honest and simple parents. He has a younger brother, Ravi Verma – Shashi Kapoor.

Now, you know how our mothers in Hindi movies are…! Vijay is born to such a mother… an incredibly ‘holy’ mother… and, of course, to a father, who worked killingly hard for his two little-children, came home tired… but to a very loving home. But, this upright worker, a representative of the workers’ union, is now damned as a traitor, humiliated, shamed and threatened… and, he is unable to face the trauma of shame, fear and humiliation… so much so, he leaves the town…and, later, dies a lonely death in a local train!

By now, the two sons have become adults… and well-known in their fields: Ravi Verma has become an upright police officer… while, the elder one, Vijay Verma, has become a Mafia Lord!

When their father is harassed and humiliated as a traitor by the workers of the town, Ravi is too small to understand what it is like… But, Vijay is old enough… One day, while returning from the school, the workers grab him, taunt him and, finally, carve on his tender wrist – ‘Mera Baap Chor Hai!’ This leaves him permanently scarred… not just physically but psychologically. The kid is so angry, so agitated by the incident, that  he comes home and tells his mother… that he will drop out from the school and will teach the tormentors a hard lesson.

The scar, the deep wound, gives birth to this ruthless Don, Vijay… And, you know the rest of the story of this cult-movie… the challenge it throws before the younger-brother, Ravi – the police-officer… and, the heart-wrenching pain the mother has to go through…!

Even the finest police-officer’s brother can become a Mafia King… and, even the most pious woman’s son can be, too…

And, when that happens, the challenge the brother has to go through and pain the mother has to bear are known only to them!

If we are not privy to such a situation, we will never be able to understand this plight of a mother or a father, the brother or a sister… the grand-parents, the uncles and aunts… the very own wife and children!

Yes, such a situation – can rise up in any home…

I repeat: in your home and my home!

Never ever say, “No, it can’t”!

It can… It can…

You and I can only try our best to avoid it… We can only pray!

 

Why am I writing about this, today?

Nirbhaya, the innocent young-victim, has just succumbed to one of most disgraceful, most barbaric acts of, yes, a handful of cannibals…

Any adjective to paint these heartless young-men is still less potent… All the possible adjectives have been already used by every one living on this planet… at least by we Indians!

Everyone is screaming at the top of his/her voice: “This girl could have been any one of us… She could have come from any of our homes!”

True, poor Nirbhaya just happened to be there… that unholy night…

But, I am yet to hear anyone scream: “These young-men, the cannibals, could have been any of us… They could have come from any of our homes!”

“No, not possible,” I hear…

I only pray, it is so!

There must be a ‘scar’ etched on the psyche of these young-culprits… They must be coming from some decent homes… born to simple, pious parents even, having well-behaved brothers and sisters… hard-working and honest fathers…

They must be…

At least, some of them…

My heart goes for these simple, honest, pious

 dear-ones of the culprits… 

as much as for the innocent brave soul – Nirbhaya,

 who is, now, no more!

Like everyone else, I, too, feel like screaming, “Send them to Saudi Arabia… for 'better justice'!”

But, no... I will not.

I will only scream from the Cross of Jesus Christ:

“Forgive them, my Father… for, they do not know what they have done!"

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Amrita Jeurkar