The whole country(India) is in mourning and Indians have come together not only in India but all over the world in the terrible grief.
Our Jawans were callously and cruelly massacred by coward terrorists and their backers. Many a debates, opinions, thoughts and writings will rage and emerge through this awful experience as emotions are running high. Some words will be natural to utter to express the aftermath and others will simply remain silent in their prayers. The question however is how best to describe the departing of these brave soldiers. Do we say they were ‘killed’, or ‘murdered’ or ‘lives brought to violent end’…
It is customary also to use the word ‘Shaheed’ coined famously after Bhagatsingh, a true revolutionary who was hanged by the British at a young age of 23 in 1923 during our long fight to Freedom. The noun martyr meaning ‘one who suffers for the sake of principle (which could include religion)’ and this could be death. However ‘shaheed or shahid’ is really an Arabic word and more akin to being ‘witness rather than a ‘martyr’ although the alter meaning seems to be hijacked by the jihadists to the full.
Our soldiers in fact attained Veergati in dying for and defending the nation. It is soldier’s oath when they take up arms at young age and the only overriding zeal of their profession is to be faithful to the nation they serve and ensure that no harm comes to their country by enemies. ‘Shaheed’ has more religious and Islamic connotation as the fundamentalists within their religion glorify dying whilst carrying out mindless attacks on unarmed and peaceful citizens (even their own) but Veergati is derived from the mother of languages Sanskrit means ‘noble path the brave attain having fallen in battle’.
Surely this is the most apt description of what happened to our Jawans on 14 February 2019. I will submit that we should always refer to the Jawans having attained Veergati and not borrow a word like ‘shaheed’.
The terrorists, since 9/11,have tried to bring into their atrocities their warped narrative by selecting to attack on 14th February universally celebrated as Valentine’s Day message of love and peace which originated in the West and wholeheartedly accepted in the modern progressive Indian society, as a signal to their cowardly aversion (and jealousy) to free loving relationships, democracy and humanity. But their attempts will never succeed as the whole world is united against such cowards
So farewell dear Jawans, you have attained Veergati through your selfless sacrifice
Desh Premi
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Government of India must show us that it is capable to protect all Indians. Only talks will not be acceptable.