Kalam ko Salaam

Going back to the last week of July, there were two events which rocked the nation back and forth, passing away of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and upstage drama leading upto Yakub Memon’s hanging. But before we begin, let’s take a peak into the dialogues of Akshay Kumar from the movie Namastey London.

• §  When we greet one another, we fold our hands in namaste because we believe that God resides in the heart of every human being.
• §  We come from a nation where we allow a lady of Catholic origin to step aside for a Sikh to be sworn in as Prime Minister by a Muslim President to govern a nation of over 80 percent Hindus.
• §  It may also interest you to know that many of the origins of your English words come from Sanskrit. For example, "maatra" becomes "mother", "bhratra" becomes "brother", "giamiti" becomes "geometry", and "trikonniti" becomes "trigonometry".
• §  We have 5,600 newspapers, 35,000 magazines in over 21 different languages with a combined readership of 120 million.
• §  We have reached the moon and back yet you people still feel that we have only reached as far as the Indian rope trick.
• §  We are the third largest nation in the world of doctors, engineers, and scientists. 
• §  Maybe your grandfather didn't tell you that we have the third largest army in the world. And even then, I fold my hands in humility before you because we don't believe that we are above or beneath any individual.

A lot of Indians are in awe of this speech, its does actually makes Englishmen think and take notice. India is more than land of KamaSutra and Yoga or the land of snake charmers as mentioned in the movie. But for me, the particular line of interest is the second bullet point. Such an event would have been possible without Dr. Kalam.

The press has been mentioned as “presstitute” after the last week of July as they gave more coverage to Yakub Memon’s hanging than the uneventful death of Dr. Kalam and eventful celebrations of the genius’ simple life. The greatest irony in the whole situation was the fact a Muslim, a scientist, a Gandhian missile, an OBC category national hero (who in India can possess such traits) died what he believed in most that is changing the mindset or influencing or motivating the future of the country, the students; and a Muslim, a terrorist (or may be not), a Chartered Accountant, a person who was the link (strong or weak, we can keep arguing) between the perpetrators of Bombay ’93 blasts (Mumbai was Bombay then) was hanged to death.

Yakub Memon should be hanged or not, his petitions, plea reached the highest offices of the country in 72 hours prior to his hanging. Nobody processes files in Indian Govt, Office of the President or the Supreme Court in such urgency, which admitted the petition at 9PM on Wednesday for hearing at 2AM Thursday morning, yet he had to meet the Allah and hence files moved with an unknown alacrity.

The sampradayak political shenanigans started buzzing, Yakub Menon is hanged because he is a Muslim or other such notorious stuff which has no relevance to the facts of the case or the fact of the situation. Crime or the law does not see the religion of the person. Maybe, of course they did see a political opportunity to make themselves felt or needed for the community and the result, they may be projected as bigger and better leader.

Probably he belonged to upper/middle class, otherwise dalit sambandhi group would have also raised their flag, that atrocities are taking place against the backward/poor Dalits in the land of Bhim Rao Ambedkar, who created an equal Constitution of India for everybody and yet we are discriminated, that too when we are nearing 70 years of Independence (Modiji refers to 60 years of Congress rule but actually we are nearing 70 and BJP also ruled for 6 years).

If there is a controversy or something new, then only its news, otherwise press is just disseminating the information. Yakub Menon offered more to chat and discuss then Dr. Kalam.

But here comes my moot point, Why is Dr. Kalam not mentioned as a Muslim first? Why didn’t no big/giant Muslim leader offer a passionate speech for Dr. Kalam to inspire people of their own religion (because they believe they exist to protect and harness their minority religion only for their own political leverage)?

Instead he was the only person in the country, who had no religion for people to judge? He was an OBC category scientist but no Dalit came forward and said, I am proud to belong to the Dr. Kalam’s caste and we will achieve more than what he had achieved and we will not use our Caste Card for it.

Dr. Kalam was made President by accident as well. BJP led NDA Govt. was in power, Mr Vajpayee literally fought a no-confidence motion every year during his six years of tenure. BJP wanted to nominate a President of their choice and they were facing issues from every angle, every nook and corner. A party which is often referred to as soft terrorists or hard Hindutva (I don’t understand those terms much) nominated Dr. Kalam.

Every party person lined up behind Dr. Kalam. Every two words that come to describe the magnanimous personality of Dr. Kalam are exact opposites of each other like a Gandhian missile man. We will find few Muslims in this country who will admit that they believe in Gandhian philosophy. Dr. Kalam has designed and delivered the Agni Missile Programme for the nation and yet he is Gandhian (who believed in non-violence).

No Hindu or other leader of this country has been respected as Dr. Kalam and loved, so much so that all the parties irrespective of their ideology or issues, attended his funeral done with full state honour. More so, his quotes and life philosophy continues to aspire the students of a nation like India.

My moot point remains, why is it important to highlight the religion of a terrorist? Why doesn’t the national hero’s religion is of no importance for the people of his religion?