Ashok Raina
Even before I can tell you, my own soul leaves my body. Whenever I remember it, that same fear and dread start to haunt me again That dark night of my childhood still troubles me,
It was a pitch-black night. Since evening, the clouds had covered the entire sky, and a gentle breeze had been blowing since morning. In this kind of weather, a certain sense of unease had become somewhat commonplace. But as the sun sets, in the evening, the sudden thunder of the clouds and the changing mood and intensity of the strong winds are bewildering for an unfamiliar person. And that’s exactly what happened, something I had never even imagined.
The tent I was living in was held up by only three bamboo poles, and the middle pole had a flashing electric light on it. When strong winds accompanied the heavy rains, the violent swaying of the electric bulbs added to the immense pressure on our nerves. From a distance, the tents looked as if they were being shaken by an earthquake due to the strong winds.
Eventually, the force and roar of the winds spun my tent around my body, and gradually I became completely entangled in the tent’s fabric, like a fly caught in a spider’s web.
I kept shouting for help, but on that bitterly cold night, no one heard my voice. The darkness inside my tent had swallowed everything. Like a lumberjack lost in the forest, I was frozen to the core, shivering with cold, my breath coming in ragged gasps amidst the fury of nature. The heavy rain showed no sign of stopping. On one hand, I couldn’t see anything, and on the other, there was no chance of finding shelter under any other roof.
As dawn broke, I noticed some activity around my tent. Where the singing of birds had filled the air before, now there were sounds of people crying. Food and supplies, everything was in disarray. Some strangers were trying to pull me out of the tent. After much effort, they managed to free my body, which was entangled in the tent ropes. My condition was extremely bad. While attempts were being made to re-erect the tents, a snake, also seeking refuge, had apparently come out who spent the whole night with me before slithering away. How can I forget such a terrifying and stormy night? I had a narrow escape on that dark and gloomy night.
On that dark and stormy night, many things happened to me. Besides food and drink, all my clothes, belongings, and precious books were destroyed and ruined. Who would have helped me without God’s intervention? I still believe this and say repeatedly that if you survive, there are a million ways to recover.
Instead of the clouds clearing from the sky, they remained stubbornly overhead for several days. A shadow of fear and dread wouldn’t leave my heart. Due to the flimsy tent, the rain was leaking inside, dripping onto my body like a constant drizzle. I had no idea what to do in such a situation. My mind was solely focused on the thought that this should never happen again, that I should never have to face another dark and terrifying night like that.
After a few days, the sky began to clear, and the sun’s scorching rays beat down on the ground, making it difficult to gauge the amount of moisture evaporating from the earth. We managed to dry our belongings in the sun with great difficulty, but how to recover from everything that had been lost in the darkness of that terrible night was a huge challenge for me. Government assistance was very limited. Each person is still given in writing only 300 grams of rice, 66 grams of flour, and 8.5 grams of sugar per day, which is far less than even a prisoner receives. But the reality is something else that surprised you. 66 grams of flour has been discontinued after the year 2014 while 8.5 grams of sugar is available in wet, wet, yellow, muddy conditions.
In those terrifying nights, pursuing education, working hard, managing food and shelter, and preparing for competitive exams conducted by recruitment boards was no easy task. Despite these circumstances, I passed several exams, but the Indian government deliberately betrayed me and appointed people who had strong connections and who had never even competed against me in those exams. How can I forget this shameful incident perpetrated by the Indian government for its adoption of vote ballot policy? It still pains my heart to this day.
I wasn’t as troubled by the unfavorable situation in the Kashmir Valley as I was shaken by the rules and principles of the Indian government. Where articles 14, 15, 16, and articles 17, 18, 19, and 21 are discussed, and the slogan of “together with everyone, development for all” is heard, it all seems pointless, shallow, and based on lies. Where are equal rights in this country?
Homeless and displaced individuals were forced to knock on the doors of the courts, even though they had no support whatsoever. Despite waiting for court orders, the government remained unmoved, and the distribution of government jobs, as revealed under the RTI Act, tells a shameful story. How can I forget those sleepless nights filled with despair?
I am astonished by this. The central government claimed to have created 11.5 lakh jobs across the country since 2014, and more than 42,000 jobs in the Kashmir Valley. Yet, needy displaced people like me have been subjected to humiliation, even in defiance of court orders and orders issued by the President’s office.
I have been also restrained from the freedom of expression, though was guaranteed to me under the constitution of India
Ever since I found out who has been given government jobs and which ignorant and uneducated people have been provided with employment opportunities, I honestly feel ashamed on behalf of the governments and How can I forget a terrifying and stormy night? |
