HOW FAR....?

 I always wanted - and worked for - Kashmir's unification with India, but in a humane way.

What I am seeing is benumbing.

Worse, I am seeing people who we thought were humanist, universalist, fair, secular.... dozens of them turned out pseudos, chauvinists, plain communal, hypocrites.

Look at their LIKES and SHARES, and comments. It is hugely disheartening to see some FRIENDS writing and sharing outright unfair and unjust posts based on heresy and inaccurate accounts of Kashmiri atrocities. They do not feel the pain of Kashmiris, not one bit.

My, my, how long, how far our civilization has yet to travel.

How humanism, truth and justice can be crunched in the vice of faith and nationality is frustrating.

And then there are those who go out of the way to appease. Appease the ultra-nationalists to show their patriotism. Competitive patriotism at its worse.

I refuse to do so. I am patriotic. And my patriotism is not for show. It doesn't consist of abusing China and Pakistan. I serve fellow Indians with all my heart. And I genuinely mean well for my countrymen. Period.

And I don't think we should have gone about integrating Kashmir just at this time, and in this manner, when we have very serious economic challenges ahead, specially as there was no urgency involved.

Call me unpatriotic, Pakistani or worse that your baser instincts permit you to do.

It is on critical occasions such as this that our inner selves come out uncoloured, unmade up. Mine, and yours.