‘Blood however is Blood’

Humra Quraishi

The year ending on an extremely worrying scenario.

What, with bombardments and killings havoc on, in the Middle East? Mind you, Israel’s targeted attacks spreading out, from Gaza and around, now on to Syria. The destruction is peaking and together with that, there seems an obvious expansionist design unfolding. Where and how will this end? And above all, when will it end? Hundreds and thousands of Palestinians, Lebanese and Syrians are already ruined! Many more were affected. The destruction is ongoing. No signs of the halt of this bloody destruction. Blood and bloodshed spreading out.

Commentators relaying that the situation in Syria is compounding as Israel and its allies fast intruding into its territory, along the expansionist strategies. I’m reminded of what Noam Chomsky had told me during the course an earlier given interview to me, over two decades back when he was visiting New Delhi. His comments of much significance. During the course of that interview when I’d asked Chomsky what changes he could foresee or apprehend in the changing world order, he detailed the havoc that could be unfolding as superpower America along with its allies could be furthering its strategies.

 To quote Chomsky from that interview: “The threat of terrorism is not the only abyss into which we peer…an even greater threat is posed by the expansion arms race… term race is inappropriate because the USA is, for now, competing alone. Its goal is to achieve ‘full spectrum dominance’. These plans have been available in the government documents for some years and the projects outlined are being developed. They were expanded in the first months of the Bush administration and again after 11 September in a crude exploitation of the fear and horror engendered by these crimes …it is conventional everywhere for the attack to be ‘defence’ and this case is no exception. The plans for militarisation of space are disguised as ‘ballistic missile defence’ (BMD). And it is well understood that BMD even if technically feasible, must rely on satellite communication. And destroying satellites is far easier than shooting down missiles. This is one reason why the USA must seek full spectrum dominance; such overwhelming control of space that even the poor man’s weapon’s will not be available to an adversary…the goal of militarisation of space extends far beyond. The Clinton era publications announce the primary goal prominently_- ‘Dominating the space dimension of military operations. To protect US interests and investment.’ Armies were needed ‘during the westward expansion of continental United States’! Of course, in self-defence against the indigenous population!”

And if one were to focus attention on our country, the communal situation is more than worrying. The recent uttering of a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court could be termed alarming. Yes, alarming! Blatantly communal and along the typical Hindutva strain. One can well imagine the trickle-down effect of such widespread bias and communal attitude against the minority Muslim community in the country.

Communally surcharged obnoxious comments, together with abusive language have accelerated in these recent years. Several Right-Wing parliamentarians have used absolutely gutter abusive language in the context of the Muslims of the country. And they seem to have got away with all their utterances. Even the political rulers of the day who came up with hate speeches, giving one hate speech after another, have gone about unapologetic!

It wouldn’t be incorrect to say that there stands out a definite pattern to targeting the Muslim community and their faith. Propaganda on. Made to take off along the various alibis, from many platforms and forums. Such is the extent of the negativities spread out about the Muslims of the country that it seems there exists a well-planned strategy of the Right-Wing to target the Muslims in a very systematic way. Heap all possible blame on them. Hit them along the economic and financial and social strain. Target their places of worship. Unleash fear in them. Spread out myths and misconceptions about them …And the gullible are fed on this anti-Muslim diet, as the political mafia continues to flourish on the lethal combination of hate and hatred.

And as this poisonous and biased propaganda against the Muslims community goes about uncontrolled, the ground realities are turning bleaker and darker and worrying.

Leaving you with these lines of SahirLudhianvi
These lines of Sahir Ludhianvi from his poem ‘Khoonphirkhoonhai’ (Blood, however, is blood) tucked in the volume ‘A Celebration of Progressive Urdu Poetry–Anthems of Resistance’ (India Ink/ Roli Books) by Ali Husain Mir and Raza Mir:

Tyranny is but tyranny; when it grows it is vanquished
Blood however is blood; if it spills it will congeal
It will congeal on the desert sands, on the murderer’s hand
On the brow of justice and on chained feet
On the unjust sword, on the sacrificial body
Blood is blood; if it spills it will take root
Let them hide all they want, skulk in their lairs
The track of spilled blood will point out the executioners’ abode
Let conspiracies shroud the truth with darkness
Each drop of blood will march out, holding aloft a lamp
Say this to tyranny’s worthless and dishonoured Destiny
say this to Coercion’s manipulative intent
say this to Laila, the darling of the assembly
Blood is wild, it will splatter and stain your garment
It is a rapid flame that will scorch your harvests
That blood which you wished to bury in the killing fields
has risen today in the streets and courts
Somewhere as a flame, somewhere as a slogan. Somewhere else as a flung stone
When blood flows bayonets cannot contain it
When it raises its defiant head, laws will not restrain it
Tyranny has no caste, no community, no status or dignity
Tyranny is simply tyranny, from its beginning to its end
Blood is however blood; it becomes a hundred things:
Shapes that cannot be obliterated
Flames that can never be extinguished
Chants that will not be suppressed.

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Frontier
Vol 57, No. 27, Dec 29, 2024 - Jan 4, 2025