A little terrorist lives in me

Its 60th Republic Day of India. The country which should have welcomed the D Day with festive spirit and illuminations have struck with fear and angst Reason: Terrorism which is making India bleed. Switch on the TV or the newspapers, we can just see 'Country is on high alert to prevent any unprecedented incident'. I was curious to know how were the celebrations of Republic Day in 1955? Browsing the pages, I could find the scenario is entirely different from now.

The Hindu Newspaper which had carried a report on Republic Day of 1955 read as: "Republic Day was celebrated on Jan 26 throughout the country with processions, meetings and colourful illumination of public buildings. New Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras and other State capitals looked like fairylands with illumination and floodlighting of public and mercantile buildings".

Look at the phrases like 'State capitals looked like fairylands,' ' illumination', 'the festive spirit; where are those now? Just 'vigilance, high security' are the words all over. Terrorism is so much part of our l.ife that we continue to live the life by saying 'the spirit to live on'. Passing the buck is perhaps is in our blood. Who should be held for responsible for Terrorism? I don't want to blame on anyone. Just blame myself.

'I am a terrorist':

I am very much aware that ' a little terrorist' lives in me. This is when, I experience a injustice, bribery, violation, lack of conviction in my every day life. Not just I, its the fate of all the Middle class working men. Some Daily Life Experiences which we go through:

Do we not grumble to take a security check in Airports, Big Malls or any hotels. Sometimes grumble goes to extent to verbal duel.

We fail to protest whenever the bus conductor doesn't give the tickets to the next stop. Being a responsible citizen of the country we have all the right to ask the bus conductor why he didnt give the ticket? We don't speak up because we have to travel in the same bus, so why to take a brawl.

Whenever our vehicle insurance has been expired and caught by the police, don't we bribe him instead of paying the fine.

Don't we jump the signal just because we are late to office?

We see the politician's car parked in the no parking zone, still we ignore

These are just few instances, but if we look deep we can observe thousands of errors which we the people do. Why do we do this? Lack of time, or the monotonous middle class life, just to save some Rupees..

I do not want to turn into a terrorist. I want to express my convictions instead of giving up. A dialogue is possible. That is why I will not remain silent; I will speak

what I feel right at this moment. Fighting to stop the war should not be an excuse to not fight injustice or bribery.

Before blaming the govt, politicians for the war or terrorism, we must address problems, injustices, bribery that happen around us. 'I oppose terrorism' should not be a fashion statement. We should change ourselves and everyone needs to ask these questions for themselves " If not Now, When? If not Here, Where? If not I, Who?.