We are in calamitous times - wars or warlike situations all around the world. Migrations, refugees, protests characterise the earth we have inherited as a gift from God or the unknown force that propels the universe. Do we have a right to call any piece of land as ours alone? India too is staring at such issues now - will we witness another forced migration like during the Partition?
Why should we worry, Mira asks. They haven't said Christians should leave.
Today they havent, tomorrow it may happen, I sigh in despair. Everything that we took for granted - the Pledge during the morning school assembly, the national anthem, the Constitution, the friendships we gained in all these years - has suddenly turned alien or been endangered. While in Kerala most of us either supported the Congress or the Communists in college (even though mine was a womens' college and had no student parties or elections), I never knew the political or caste affiliations of the friends I made in Delhi. But today, thanks to Facebook and Whatsapp, I do. The neighbour who became a dear friend over the years, sharing a love for books and good banter, is a Brahmin and right-winger, I learnt recently. Every conversation comes with the weight of that realisation. I feel betrayed - not by her caste but by her politics. You too, Brutus?🙂 Hindus are being killed in Kerala, she laments like a true north Indian fed on sangh fodder. Hindus belonging to rival parties kill each other; the killings are political, I enlighten her and send her some statistics. I doubt if she is convinced. She carries with her generations of baggage, which some random statistic cant unburden.
Women friends in general are careful not to let their political thoughts spill on social media, even in personal chats. They would rather share recipes, gossip, music and other inane subjects. But prayers fall like manna into some whatsapp groups where the day ends with an Amen. Arent we all fundamentalistic and prejudiced about the other? Followers of monotheistic religions looking down about the gods and goddesses of the polytheistic ones. The latter eye us suspiciously fearing evangelisation and conversion. Love jihad too.
Let us keep politics out and discuss love and literature, I tell my friend.
p.s. This post was meant to be on my memories of JNU. I will write that in another.
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