The Slaughtering of saffron : Foreword

“History is not was, it is”

FOREWORD

Perhaps historical narratives are destined to bear the cross of ambiguity because of the frailty of the human mind and memory. But, as beings who have sprung from the pages of yesterday, it is our duty to make sure that the unvarnished past melds into the present so that the future is brightened.
One-sided narrative while not new to these annals have taken a dangerous turn in recent times, giving a whole other meaning to the word ‘white-wash’. And, thus dear readers, it was with the intention of narrating a different version of the story that I began to write “The Slaughtering of Saffron”, hoping to bring a voice to those voices drowned in the cacophony of popular narrative seen in more widespread media.
While I entirely believe that we are all equal in the eyes of the law, whether earthly or heavenly, it is also my belief that there should be no ‘first among equals’. Personal beliefs and the law in a country as richly diverse as ours make for a partnership based on mistrust. If any attempt to ensure equality among all citizens as guaranteed by the constitution is to be made, it MUST cut across various castes, creeds and beliefs. An egalitarian society can only exist in the absence of the spurious ‘first’ among equals.
It remains the duty of governance to provide for all, and to see that the minorities face no injustice. However, it will never do to turn the proverbial blind eye and ensure that they never face the long arm of justice if necessary.
And thus, my attempt to talk about a gentle state once heaven on earth, now scarred beyond recognition. Where the fate of and the blood of thousands will be on our hands if we selectively choose to look the other way and refuse to call out fanaticism for what it is, a blot on all of humanity….