What the lives of martyrs tell us

SANDEEP SINHA

SHAHEEDON ki chitaon par lagenge har baras meleWatan par marne walon ka yehi baki nishan hoga.In the din of the General Election, the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was slightly low-key with what the exit polls predicting a sweeping win for the NDA and the barbs traded between the Congress and the BJP in the run-up to the polls over Rajiv’s contribution and integrity. It was a fateful night on May 21, 1991, and people came out in the streets in disbelief late at night when the news broke. The Congress also lost leaders like Indira Gandhi and Beant Singh in tragic circumstances.

Martyrdom is not new to India. It is a natural concomitant of valour which was never in short supply as the mighty kings and emperors who ruled India during the ancient and medieval period encouraged bravery for they needed huge armies to safeguard their fiefs. After Independence, Mahatma Gandhi fell to the assassin’s bullets and his death even today is the subject of a raging controversy.

Supreme sacrifice

Even before Mahatma Gandhi, men and women bravely embraced the gallows to free the country from the British yoke. Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Chandrashekhar Azad and Khudiram Bose are some of the names that come to mind. Lala Lajpat Rai fell to grievous blows of the British police while protesting against the Simon Commission. There were many others who made the supreme sacrifice fighting the tyranny of the British, an example of which is the tragedy at Jallianwala Bagh whose centenary was commemorated earlier this year.

No dearth of valour

This country, in fact, has known no dearth of valour, the latest being Abhinandan Varthman, who was captured by Pakistan during an operation. As he walked back to the Indian side, his gait firm, there was no mistaking the bruise mark near his eyes. Abhinandan was lucky for there have been some like Captain Saurabh Kalia whose mutilated body was handed over to India during the Kargil war.

Martyrdom is usually about courting the inevitable by standing up for what one believes in. It is not about being inflexible, but about standing up for one’s beliefs, values and ideals. But for those of us who live on, it is more about taking a stand — being right or wrong is relative. The Chandigarh auto-rickshaw-wala, Mohammed Sarif, who found a purse containing jewellery worth Rs 2 lakh took a decision, and returned it to its owner. He was a fine example of integrity.

In the Nirbhaya case, the whole country rallied to bring the guilty to book. Many years earlier, justice was conclusive with the culprits being hanged in the Sanjay Chopra-Geeta Chopra case. These were incidents that shook the conscience of the nation, forcing the arms of the government into action, to determine truth and award punishment.

Lesson lies in being an aware citizen

So, while there have been great men and women who have attained martyrdom, the lesson for us lies in being an aware and conscientious citizen, by standing up for what one believes is right even in daily life – protesting the rise in prices of commodities, hike in bus or train fares or to ensure civic amenities, teach poor children, seek betterment in the quality of life. The daily care can go a long way to ensure the progress of the country. To that cause, there should be many followers.