Aftermath of KURBAN!

After spending my weekend, detaining myself in front of the Idiot Box, I woke up on Monday morning and told myself that I had better get my ass out of the house! After all, how many times do you get an opportunity to get up late in a Monday morning with no office to go to? Holiday for whatsoever reason! I planned for a movie. I had to go to the chamber for a brief period of time and thereafter I planned to head for the movie! I had absolutely no idea what I would be watching. We had decided to plan in promtu. After we reached, we figured at 1600 hrs, there were tickets available for Kurban. We took it! The movie was well made, except for the initial 15 minutes. Karina was at her best and Saif and Vivek were good too. But the movie had a very heavy impact in my mind because of series of events that happened before and after the movie. SUNDAY MORNING: I woke up late because I had no chamber work. (Yes, I work on Sundays.) And as my normal routine, I switched on the TV and tuned it to CNN Live. And much to my dismay, I was welcomed with the news of serial blast in Assam, suspected to be an act of the ULFA! The reporter enlightened with another interesting piece of information. They are expecting more blasts in the event of November 27/28 (I am not sure!) being the date when ULFA was declared a terrorist organization. I changed the channel Zee Studios! “Vantage Point!” “Now is this some sort of sign?” I asked myself! Bomb blasts is a regular affair in Assam. My house is situated at a strategic location and 80% of the blasts in Guwahati take place within 1 km radius! Emmergency siren from station is frequent. And believe it or not, the only place where the Independence Day Parade and Republic Day parade takes place is also 0.5 km from my house. For me, it has always been a weeklong celebration. 14th August: Assam Bandh 15th August: Assam Bandh 16th August: Assam Bandh Now, if 14th happens to be Wednesday, we get leave for Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun! And no sane person living in Assam comes out of the house on 11, 12 and 13th of August. So Independence Day and Republic Day have always been a mini vacation for us. But there was no reason to be happy! We would, mostly, be house captive because of general apprehension of blasts and explosions and frisking harassment by officials! We have to give explanation to the police every time we enter our lane and tell them that we have no other possible route of communication but this cause we have our home here! This is because of the security reasons for the strategic location of the field in which they would celebrate the day while the whole state remains locked up in their residence! Helicopter surveillance is also a very common thing! After all the precautions and care, there would still be blasts and people would die on these days! Independence Day and Republic Day! 1947 and 1950! And even in 2009, there is no change in situation, in the State! BACK TO MONDAY: After watching Kurban. I came back and tuned in to CNN Live yet again! And they were showing a documentary on the 26/11 Attack and they were interviewing Kasab! Kasab, the sole attacker whom they captured alive and repeatedly called the prize! Even after so many blasts that I happened to hear, I still don’t understand how they happen to fulfill the demands of all those people who participate in the same. But the main problem lies with US – you and I! We tend to forgive and forget everything! Whenever, there is any news of blast in Assam, I pick up the cell phone dial my home number and enquire about the safety of each one of them and of all our friends and acquaintances and when everyone is safe and secure, I give a sigh of relief, and continue with the daily chores! “How many blasts do you think I can sit and care about?” I ask my alter ego, if it gives me guilt conscience! “They happen too frequently for me to waste time caring for them!” And that is the attitude which is the hurdle! I can’t blame the government! I have never utilized my fundamental right to vote! Assam Blast, Kurban and Documentary had messed up my mind, I decided to sleep it off! Woke up the next morning and continued with the usual chores, with the hope of a better future for me and my future generation!