Resistance

By Dr. M. Mohibul Haque

25 May, 2016
Countercurrents.org

A time will come when singing the songs of love will be the poetry of resistance

The time is not too far when wearing the cloth of one’s choice will be the symbol of resistance

When eating the food of one’s choice will be revolt

…..when going to vote, contesting elections, campaigning for or against…all will become difficult

…..when reading the books of one’s choice, listening songs, speaking one’s mother tongue, using cultural symbols will all be considered as acts of treason
When poverty will be criminalized and resisting exploitation will be punished…

When voices of conscience will be silenced, swords will become mightier than the pens,

When darkness will swallow the light of the day, the modern ‘owls of Minerva’ will spread their wings symbolizing the intellectual decay and indifference…
When the reactionary forces of medievalism will reappear to dispel fear and terror in the minds of those who would like to resist

When the people will advise their loved ones to speak through silence and when the silence of the vast suffering majority will lead to their enslavement…

And then, our lands, waters—rivers, ponds, and wells, forests, mountains… everything we are dependent upon, everything we cherish will be taken away…

But wait…wait…look…look…don’t be ready to share the pessimism of a broken soul…there are voices of resistance and symbols of revolt…There are people in our country who love justice and peace, liberty and democracy, and to preserve the same they have returned their hard won awards…There are Rohits, Kanhaiyas, and several others who are not ready to give up…even at the cost of their lives…They are awakening the national conscience to save Akhlaqs, Majlooms and other targets of the forces unleashing terror in our beloved country…Lets come together all on margins to establish peace, justice, freedom and happiness, to reclaim what is yours due.

The owls of Minerva are going back to their towers, darkness is withering away, and the light of the day is not too far…we have reasons to smile and say ‘Jay Hind’.

Dr. M. Mohibul Haque, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Aligarh Muslim University, India
Email: [email protected]