Page 43 - Y Mind
P. 43
Vishal Waghmare SJ
The Last Call it to his son. Thinking in anxiety, he
walked outside and saw his dad’s bus.
The bus was saffron color with Hin-
dutva slogans on it. It was often used
for election campaigns. But for a few
months it was unused. Looking at the
bus, Yash’s plan was clear; he would
take the bus to Sutan Muhalla and
with Feroz’s help would deliver his
family to Muzaffarpura, a relatively
safer place.
While Shankar was busy planning the
attack, Yash sidled to his room and
took out the keys of the bus. He sat
on the driver’s seat. With trembling
fingers and firm decision, he turned
the key into the ignition. The rum-
bling of the engine made him more
nervous and afraid.
It was a dark evening. As he drove the
vehicle out of the compound, he could
faster now. His father was planning to kill see the riots, the violence, and the an-
Feroz and whole Sultan Muhalla, where gry people on the streets, killing each
Yash and Feroz had spent days of child- other. Some were shouting to kill and
hood together, playing, running and en- some were shouting out of the fear of
joying………… being killed. Yash’s heart was trem-
He was suffused with fear and worry. But bling at this. As he drove ahead, on
he firmly decided to save Feroz and his the footpath, he could see 3-4 beard-
family at any cost. He also knew that it ed men and women wearing Hijab
would be useless to make his father un- lying lifeless, blood gushing from
derstand. Shankar would not listen to his their deep wounds. He saw the worst
young son in any political matters. It was cruelty, humans could ever commit.
seven in the evening and he didn’t know There were fires around some hous-
how to accomplish this rescue operation. es. In some lanes, Yash could see the
With an impulse he thought of taking his mob shouting slogans, and setting a
Dad’s car and going to Sultan Muhalla. vehicle ablaze. Yash had only heard
But it was impossible, the keys were al- about this kind of violence, but ofr
ways with Shankar and he would not give the first time he saw what it meant.
He was trembling.
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Young Minds 2020
42
