“We the people of India having abiding faith in our countries tradition of non violence ,tolerance, hereby solemnly affirm to oppose within our strength, all forms of terrorism and violence .We pledge to uphold and promote peace ,social harmony and understanding on all our fellow human beings and fight the forces of disruption threatening human lives and values”
This is the pledge the staff and peoples representatives taken on 21st May 2011 ,the anti terrorist day, the day on which our former Prime Minster Sri Rajiv Gandhi was killed by Tamil LTTE at Sri Perubathur in 1991.I would like to record my experience on that day. The way in which the Party workers paid homage to the departed leader.
I was returning from my uncles house at Kottayam in Malabar Express.Started my journey at 11.00 PM .I got upper birth and had a nice sleep over there. By 5 AM I felt for urination and got down from the sleeper. My eye fell on the news paper read by a person sitting on the side seat.”Rajiv Gandhi Kollappettu”.I just couldn’t be leave the news for I have seen the person in Manglore exactly one week back at a hand distance. He was seen very elegent,pleasent,enthusiastic and busy in election campaign. I was then studying for my BEd at Manglore.Rajivji got down in an Helicopter at Mangala Stadium and was walking along the road Although there were security threats he very bravely walked along side people who came to watch the Prime Minister. On seeing the news in the news paper I thought it could be a dream for there were news of terrorist aiming at Rajivji especially LTTE.Soon I realised that what everybody has speculated has come true The most energetic Prime Minister of India is no more. I watched outside .The train had reached Koilandy Station .After much delay train has again started the journey. People were murmuring about possible untoward incidents around. Soon a sudden break stopped the train .A mob is seen marching towards the train .” Illa ningal marichittilla Jeevikkunnu Nhangaliloode” mob is seen little bit violent and there was a threat of stone pelting. Shutters of the train came down. And everywhere there was tension. We just couldn’t realise the real situation. We even thought that we will also be killed and the entire nation is under threat. Remember that we are not still out of our sleep. After Half an hour we realised that the mob is just Congress Party workers. Slowly the shutters were raised and we slowly came out of the train to see the procession. Passengers just wanted the train to start the journey but the mob had another idea. It is revealed that Bandh was called for and the Train will be released only by evening 6 O’clock.We were hoping that party workers who were sitting in front of the train would withdraw soon. We are thinking that since we have not done anything wrong about this incident and we are helpless passengers and there is no means in punishing us with hunger and starvation. Since this was the end of May there was scroching heat no water to drink .Nothing to say about basic requirements like bath and toilet. The situation of Toilet is unexplainable. No water, filled with foul smell. Party workers are not heeding to respond to the request of the passengers .People around the place felt pity on us and they were distributing drinking water in buckets much for our relief. We were spending time wandering, snoozing at interval. By noon I am not even able to open my eyes due to hunger. For the first time in life I felt what hunger is all about. Much for our relief “KANHI” was supplied by the villagers .That was the most tasty “Kanhi” I ever had in my life.Each of us got a glass of “kanhi” mixed with coconut.In the “Kanhi” I was searching for rice.Truely speaking there weren’t many. After all these suffering the train started by 5 P M in the evening after 12 hours of rail block. The place were the train was blocked was about two Kilometres from Koilandy,the place is known as Kollam.
Ironically after 13 years of this incident I got married from the very place Kollam at a walk able distance from the place. Whatever the reason may be it is really surprising coincidence.
The train reached Kasaragod by 8 o’ clock.By the there was no way to reach my house .I took a room for rent and resumed the journey in the next moring.
That was not the time of Mobile Phones. The agony the family members had, starvation and the difficulties people had due to this incident.Even the departed soul of Rajiv Gandhi will regret the act of putting the people in dismay. by observing Bandh which is not declared early. Then what is the use of such a bandh if it does not please the person on whose behalf of all this fuss took place was not pleased. This is the experience I had. How many such incidents took place during the Bandh and Hartal in Kerala.
If some body is truly loyal to any departed soul what the followers should do is to abstain from exhorting hartal or Bnadh and put the innocent people in difficulty.
If Hartal is declared sufficiently early people enjoy it by having drinks,Biriyani and doing all the bad things against all values. In my opinion let the people do their work with special commitment on such day and pay homage to the departed soul.
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