The week starting December 24 to December 31 is very important for all Indians. It is sad that most Indians do not value this week. And most of us are not even aware about this week. We just do not know what place this week has in the history of India.
We let this week pass unnoticed.
In any other country, this week would have been the most remembered and most celebrated week for the entire nation. Or maybe even for the entire world.
Not too many true instances of such bravery, sacrifice and courage can be found in the entire known human history.
But, unfortunately, we let this week go unnoticed.
So, here is a quiz for you. Who killed Gandhi?
It is good that you know the answer. Not a big deal. Most Indians, and most students in India, do know the answer. It is an easy one. We all know about it because we have all been told about it. We have all been made to read about it. So, we are told that Gandhi was a great person and who killed him must be a common knowledge for the entire country.
The killer was a bigoted man. Right?
Those who do not read history, are accursed to repeat it. Right?
Now, the next question. Who killed Guru Govind Singh? Who killed his children?
And who killed Guru Teg Bahadur? And why?
There is every likelihood that you, and any other man or woman on the streets in this country, would not know the definite answer to the first question, or the second question, and most possibly, if you are not from a Sikh family, even both the questions.
Okay. This may be an exceptional topic.
So, who was responsible for Jallianwala Bagh massacre?
There is some chance that you must have read about it somewhere in your school textbook. And many of us may even be able to link the massacre of innocent Indians to the perpetrators and even name the British General responsible for it.
We have read about it in textbooks. That is because we must be made aware of our history to ensure that we are not condemned to repeat it.
Sure.
So, did you ever hear or read about Moplah massacre? Or The Great Calcutta Killings? Direct Action Day? How many died? And why?
The wild guess is perhaps you have not heard about these. Why?
Maybe there are some wise people who do not want you to discuss things that are past just to ensure that such history does not cause any discomfort to you.
But Jallianwalla too was a massacre. Why is it mandatory for a child to know about it in history textbooks? And see the pictures of Britishers firing on innocent Indians?
Why should children not see pictures of methods adopted for killing Guru Govind Singh’s martyred children? Those were medieval, no? Heart rending, no?
Who are the people who want to show us how Jesus Christ was tortured on a crucifix but not how the martyred sons of Guru Govind Singh were treated in their last moments?
Mopla too was a massacre and a genocide. But, why should we not learn about it in schools or colleges?
Who decides what part of our history should be open for us and which part should be hidden, or even worse, erased from our collective memory?
The powers that keep some part of our own history open to us and another part of our history closed, hazed, hidden or erased, must be very powerful and forward-thinking.
In that power lies the reason for all the ills of this country. The past, present and future of this country has been hijacked by those powers.
Breaking the shackles of these powers is what will free our mind from their well-designed captivity.
