The real tribute to martyrs

ON board my return flight from London to New Delhi, three youngsters were seated a couple of rows ahead of me. They were speaking Punjabi and their T-shirts bore the signature image of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. No sooner was the plane airborne that they started ordering drinks and making a scene. Their raucousness troubled other passengers, who commented bitterly on the decadence of today’s youth. I got restless and waited for a chance to speak to them.

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I spotted one of them walking down the aisle. As he neared me, I beckoned to him. He leaned forward to listen to me. Pointing at the martyr’s picture, I said, “I guess he is your role model.” He promptly nodded. Affectionately but candidly, I asked him, “Then why are you not trying to emulate him or imbibe his great values? Perhaps it’s fashionable for your generation to flaunt that you hero-worship him. The dire need is to nurture him in your heart and ingrain him into your soul. You don’t deserve to be the legend’s follower in your drunken state.”

“OK, sir,” was his reply as he headed sheepishly towards the washroom.

When he returned to his seat, his friends seemed to enquire in whispers about his conversation with me. After a few minutes, they pulled out a bag from the overhead storage compartment and went towards the washroom. Later, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had changed their T-shirts. They greeted me with a humble smile filled with repentance and self-knowledge. I smiled back at them.

At the New Delhi international airport, as I waited for my luggage on the conveyor belt, the trio approached me and felt sorry for their behaviour on the plane. Appreciating their gesture, I emphasised the importance of the sacrifices made by the martyrs and expressed concern over the errant ways of today’s generation, which paid superficial respect to the legends. I urged them to ponder over this matter and confront the ground reality.

“Adopting their principles in our life would be the greatest tribute to the immortal souls,” I advised them. They promised to give up their bad habits.

I am still in touch with them, and I say it with immense pride that their life has undergone a sea change. This demonstrates the power of our national icons to inspire us decades after they departed. Long live the martyrs — in our deeds, hearts and souls.