A post I didn't want to write!

𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 ask and talk 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆:

• 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 is equally or even more scary for people like me, because whenever it happens, we are questioned, poked, and reprimanded to condemn it—strongly and repeatedly. Like all Indians, we are also shocked. Many of us can't write (not all are writers or ChatGPT users), express, or talk about it—some may not even be active on social media. But yes, we do get targeted, irrespective of that
  
  

• 𝗚𝗮𝘇𝗮 𝘃𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀: The event in Gaza is a planned wipeout by governments (it feels like World War 3), where an ethnicity is being destroyed without a trace. A terrorist attack is equally heinous—but you’re comparing apples and oranges here. No act is less painful, and no death is more valid. All are deaths. All are killings.
  When religion is involved in these barbarous acts —especially targeted ones—people of the same faith often can’t speak much, because their faith is twisted by terrorists and anger is spewed in all directions. Everyone has their own way to cope.
  
  Not all can be Naseeruddin Shah’s nephew who penned that open letter (go read it if you're on a Googling spree). Not all can play with words or forwards during mind numbing events!I'm 100% sure 90% of Indian Muslims feel the same way as he wrote. Gaza is a massacre happening at a global level, from years, infact this is the WRONG time, but to those ask me questions and quickly edit with AI - the ALL EYES ON POST - I ask you, why didn't you ever condemn Gaza? Yes they are not INDIANS , but at a human level did you? I am asking this only as I WAS ASKED by 3-4 different people on why I AM NOT STRONGLY SPEAKING OUT! I WISH I COULD STRONGLY SPEAK, and change the minds of terrorists, I wish I could strongly SPEAK AND CHANGE THE SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS! I WISH. Irony is my speaking is also not enough - I should strongly speak!!
  
  

• Yes, there may be a small percentage of indifferent folks or extremists who stay silent or neutral. It’s hard to tell what's on their mind—just like it's hard to understand those who stay silent during mob lynchings or hate crimes that have occurred across India over the past decade. I Don't want to spark a Me Vs You debate, but it is what it is!

• 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: For some, events are extremely triggering, so they don’t react at all. Many selectively react based on their situation , and some have the patience and stamina to respond to everything. Silence isn’t conclusive.
  However, blatant, thoughtless statements and triggering posts—which further damage an already fragile unity—do reveal the mindset of the person posting them.

• 𝗧𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 — what exactly do you expect? A powerful post like Naseeruddin Shah’s nephew? Or a celebrity-style statement?
  Do you expect them all to come out and declare in unison that it’s Islamic extremism?
  Would you, similarly, label mob lynchings done by extremists as “[insert religion] extremists”?

• 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆? The people who escaped are talking about them too.
  Why not share those positive stories as well? That’s the need of the hour!

• 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬—𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦, 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬, 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐬 (𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢)—𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦??Why aren’t we asking why security in such sensitive areas was so lax?
  Yes, kill the terrorists, take revenge by all means—but why did this attack happen so easily in the first place?

• 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙮𝙥𝙤𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨, while celebrities are canceling shows and public events?
  Why are flight ticket prices skyrocketing, while local residents in Jammu & Kashmir are opening their doors for free to help tourists?

• 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧-𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙖𝙧? 𝙎𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 - it is not your virtual zoom meeting or GRWM reel. Ask the soldiers who wage the war about it and the repercussions
  Who will actually be affected?

• 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗶𝗿, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆? The state is already struggling—this will make things worse.
  By all means, destroy the terrorists—but is there any guarantee that innocent citizens, unrelated people in or outside J&K won’t be harmed in the process?

 

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, not to answer but just to 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗞! 𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻—𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

    𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼’𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮—𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱, Imran Khan —who         received hate messages from his ex-employee just because of his name.
    As I raise questions, I get some too.
    It’s not new. And this strife might not be curbed even in the coming decades.

    𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡—𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲, 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁         𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝗻. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁. 𝙔𝙀𝙎! 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻. 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩!

    On a side note—to hell with pro- or anti-BJP groups. First, be a sensitive and logical human being.
    Ask yourself—is the fabric of our nation still safe?

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝟮𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼?

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸.

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲.
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲.

𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆—𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼. 𝙋𝒓𝙖𝒚𝙞𝒏𝙜 𝙛𝒐𝙧 𝙩𝒉𝙚 𝙨𝒖𝙛𝒇𝙚𝒓𝙞𝒏𝙜 𝙛𝒂𝙢𝒊𝙡𝒊𝙚𝒔 𝒐𝙣 𝙩𝒉𝙞𝒔 𝒇𝙧𝒊𝙙𝒂𝙮 𝙞𝒏 𝒎𝙮 𝙅𝒖𝙢𝒎𝙖𝒉 𝑵𝙖𝒎𝙖𝒂𝙯!