I do not know what I have to write but if ever given a chance, I know how to strike back!
‘Those who educate children well are more to be honored than those who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well…. Aristotle’
-‘Two teachers were shot dead and the range was point blank? But why?
-‘ Ceasefire was a curtain to loosen out on many things but trust me friendship would not have been the bar laid! The people on LOC are looking good but in the interiors ridiculous things are happening!’
-‘Come on, why kill the teachers who taught something about life and how to live it! The killers may have drowned for say perhaps two thousand five hundred’ But whom did they kill? Both the teachers and one of them a principal may have taught them over three thousand lessons! Was the hatred against teachers so brutal? Can the killers kill a woman, the Principal? Again the question is why? But they can have iron blocks in their heads!’
-‘The events that are carrying on one after the other cannot be all of a sudden? There have to be reasons but what exactly has to be figured out still!’
-‘Schools opened up and the teachers were more than vibrant! Yes the break in the sequence does become an issue but Kashmir was first to gallop on the steeds and on line education was blowing like a blizzard. Both students and the kids were swaying in one motion. But who was teaching the kids? Had to be teachers and who was teaching in Sangam area of Eidgah, Srinagar? They cannot be saviors of Kashmir as they killed a woman who was a dedicated teacher! Mind you when a kid in Kashmir is killed the women cry the most? But they should not cry when the drug ridden body of the killer rots in a drain with maggots all over! The reason is that he/they killed one of their own fraternity!
-‘ The principal and a teacher of a government school were killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar today, the latest in a spate of targeted killings in the Kashmir valley was a news item. Terrorists stormed into the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Srinagar’s Eidgah area and shot the principal and the teacher at close range, a government official said. There were no students in the school as classes are still online, was the follow up.’ I read it and sat silent and stubborn! This was a goddamn story to hit back!
– ‘Forget the odds and even formulation here is that the odds were against two, shot from a range that gives no chance. The victims were Deepak Chand, and the principal, Supinder Kour. Their religion was teaching. They died doing a noble job as they were responsible children of their mother’s but some of the other mother’s were ruthless!’ I should not be casting aspersions but this is a fact
*The gun carrying men came into the school in the morning and asked for the identity cards of the teachers and later fired at two teachers. The result was their lifeless bodies stuck to the ground only to be picked up later!’
-‘But one man with blood boiling had to be the DGP Jammu and Kashmir Police as he went furious when he said, ‘ TRF is run from Karachi. We will soon expose this nexus from across (the border). The victims were not affiliated with any group. It’s a malicious propaganda by TRF that Bindroo was working with the RSS. I did a similar story in the morning but this one was heart wrenching! Teachers? Why target them? Were they teaching anything wrong? Could not have been possible!
-‘Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the killing of the school staff, saying the terrorists behind the attack and their patrons will not succeed in disturbing peace in the Union territory. A befitting reply will be given to the perpetrators of the heinous terror attacks on innocent people.’ This is one of the most ridiculous acts of terror! But I know the growing up generations will fight back! ‘The evil will be vanquished’ because we Indians fight for those who sacrificed their lives! Add five more but trust me they would be avenged!’
‘Srinagar police have got many clues and very soon we will expose these people who are targeting humanity, targeting local ethos and brotherhood among people. This is definitely a conspiracy to target communal harmony and brotherhood. This is a conspiracy to defame a local Muslim Kashmiri. This is a conspiracy to target those who come from outside for livelihood. This is a conspiracy to target communal harmony( Militants are militants) and working at the behest of Pakistani handlers. This is an attempt to prevent steps afoot towards peace and I am hopeful that people of Kashmir along with us will expose this conspiracy’….. (DGP Dilbagh Singh)
They both were gifted teachers who shared many heart wrenching, joyful, insightful adventures inside the classrooms and in their personal lives. They taught children at Eidgah school how to live life in a proper sense, I mean the art of living which pistols and guns do not teach but pens do and so do the words spoken out of the mouth pieces. Perhaps Supinder the brilliant and effervescent lady and Diwan Chand must have told the students that on this voyage of life you will get an up close, personal look at the life and education in Srinagar. This journey involves the actions of friends, lovers, school administrators, teachers, parents, children and everyday people. Some were listening and the others outside the gate were hearing the same from an angle which was acute! Both the teachers did not know as to what was in store for them! Eidgah definitely in Downtown Srinagar is not a place that is cordial but the two thought that the things would have changed. They had not but be rest assured they will be!
A teacher’s destiny unfolds within the pages of his/her book. With story upon story; some nearly too painful to hear, but must be brought to the light of day to those that represent the day-to-day grind where progress seeps out in measurements nearly too small to measure. But for Supinder and Diwan the last day had to be Thursday the seventh of October 2021. Maybe this was the day they had chosen to deliver the last lesson to the young kids for a brighter future. But they never knew that the color of the white chalk would suddenly be blood read! It was as they stood no chance before the devils! The end game of the teachers who loved the young and good was all over just by a trigger press!
This must have been a news item for many but not for me because most in Kashmir love the word ‘Ustaad or Wasta’ but today was a sad day! I will just give a few excerpts of a famous letter which was written by Abraham Lincoln to his little son. Invariably teachers do tell it to their children and to thir students. I’m sure Supinder and Diwan too would have done the same, ‘My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and courage. So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know, teaching him – but gently, if you can. Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him if you can that 10 cents earned is of far more value than a dollar found. In school, teachers, it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to learn how to gracefully lose, and enjoy winning when he does win. Teach him to be gentle with people, tough with tough people. Steer him away from envy if you can and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Teach him if you can – how to laugh when he is sad, teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach him to scoff at cynics.’ Maybe the killers of the two teachers at Eidgah never ever heard about this! They were simply dwarfed by money drugs and the weapon in hand! Perhaps the curse of Sisyphus!
Just a short story of the man Sisyphus who was super smart, but super evil too. He did all kinds of absurd stuff like impregnate his niece in a plot to kill his brother. Some say he also killed guests and travelers, and he even betrayed the secrets of the gods. Who is doing so I do not have to tell but Kashmir is living in that curse and that is period!
