Danish Siddiqui’s Question? | Ramanujam Meganathan

You shot for peace live.
They shot the peace dead.
Your lens lensed through suffering human.
Their prudence stands for counting dead human.
Yet another casualty,
Yet another peace catalyst quieted.
Yet another message to enemies.
Who are the enemies?
Your lens that clicked blew off many a violent mind.
It sparkled for solace.
Oh! Afghans, how long you endure?
How many you endure?
The Communist, jehadist, islamist
The UN, the USA, the NATO
The religion, the neighbours, the nation and the state.
Tanks and tanks and tanks,
For no thanks and thanks and thanks.
’We did not go there for nation building’
What the hell did you do there?
Danish Siddiqui is the testament
for your war and their peace.
For their war and your peace.
But for whom the war and whose peace?
If people are made to hate, can they learn to love?
Is that the question Danish Siddiqui asked for the Afghans?
Is there anybody there?
To reply.
Or is the world, the nations dead?

—Ramanujam Meganathan *

(Author: Dr. Ramanujam Meganathan is Professor of English Language Education, Department of Education in Languages, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi)