Farah Naqvi

 

I am woman, every Indian woman

I am here; for I am the need of this time now

I am here, for I am citizen of my land

I am the guardian of my world now.

I am on every crossroads.

To every ground

I lay claim, for it is my Hindustan. Now.

 

I am Hindu and yes Muslim too

I wear a bindi and hijab too

I pray to Ishwar and to Allah too

Our children’s smiles, our children’s pain

They are the same too

You are different and different are your saffron glasses

All alone you chant your oath of breaking the country now.

 

Your posters say – save the girl child

So why these sticks and tear gas shells?

Who are the attackers now?

When the police spit curses at us

Did you come as saviours, split their heads open now?

Now I shall speak. You listen; over a cup of tea

Will you hear my submission now?

For when the heart is wounded, a person awakes

In search of balm, a storm of pain awakes

When there’s talk of autumn, the garden awakes

When it’s about our land, the nation awakes

The djinn has left the bottle, you can’t coax it in now

This road we have chosen, it will not change now.

 

(Farah Naqvi is an author and activist.)