Pity Pity Bang Bang

So my ten year old son, Vidur, asked me today why the Indian Mujahideen is making itself (in)famous by planting bombs. He wants to know why they cannot do something good and become popular. He wants to know why they want to kill people and create chaos.

Finally, he wants to know why they teach “unity in diversity”, “secularism”, “Be kind to others” and similar concepts in school when no one – or hardly anyone – is following these principles. He is amazed that the non-violent Gandhi achieved so much, yet did not live to see the results. And hurriedly adds that it’s a good thing he is not alive to read the newspaper headlines, because he’d feel so sad. Such wisdom! Also, he is shocked when he occasionally watches the proceedings of the Parliament – Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha – “don’t they get punished?” he wants to know. Sigh.

Vidur is also worried that there isn’t much to say in terms of news during their school assembly programs since its only about cheating, death, infidelity (yes, he knows the word) or something equally negative. We have a rather pensive child at home, these days. What used to be Environmental Sciences or EVS earlier, is now History, Geography and Civics in the 6th Std. So they are looking at several topics in more detail – and sometimes, in more disgust as they see the opposite of what they learn 😀

Here is a conversation I overheard between Vidur and his cousin in Ahmedabad:

vidur – “hey, how is everything at your place? we just saw the news about the blasts”
cousin – “we are okay. Daddy is on his way back from the airport”
vidur – “oh – then you tell chitappa to call as soon as he reaches home, ok?”
cousin – “yeah – by the way – did you have school today?” (because of the bomb blasts in Bangalore the previous day)
vidur – ” arre no ya. life is as usual here for us”
cousin – “here also – but we had 17 blasts. you had only 5” (like its i am 12-up on you)
vidur – “hmmm – where do you think the next blast will be?”
cousin – “they don’t know ya”
vidur – “could it be Hassan? (laughs) periappa lives there” (what is the logic? three brothers – two have already had blasts where they live……..duh)
cousin – joins vidur laughing ” ok…..catch you later – keep in touch”