Let's rise above religion

During lunch time, my wife informed  that the boy who topped this year in SEBA's Class 10 comes from a very poor economic background. While both of us were happy at the result of Sarfaraz, as usual, my wife became suddenly worried for the future of our two sons who, she complained, inspite of getting all the facilities, have never been serious at studies. I knew Sarfaraz would bring bad news for Hrishi, the elder one,  after he was back from School.

While we rejoiced with the result of Sarfaraz, the news that followed thereafter were shocking and appalling. Some people will always twist anything and everything in the name of religion.

For the national media, a Muslim boy becoming a state topper from a RSS backed school may be a news, but it's not certainly a surprise in a society where we grew up.

During school days, I used to go for morning walk with an elderly person from our nearby Moriapatty. I called him Borta ( Father's elder brother). Whenever  the dome of Hajo's Hayagreeba Madhav Temple was visible from the road, he asked me to offer sewa (prayer). Abbas Sir used to teach us Hindi . In class, he used to tell me - I studied with your Grand Father, taught your both parents and now I will be teaching you. I still remember his emotional eyes the day he found me in his class in my first day at School.  And how do I forget the advices  of Late Habibur Rahman sir, who taught us in Primary School, before I left home for my first job !

Needless to say, my father too taught many at home and he never considered the religion of his students who came to take lessons from him. Tajnoor and Amjat da are still remembered by parents fondly.

With time, the society where we didn't know the difference of religion has become murkier. The experiences which taught me to be aware of my religion, I will not write here. Those moments, I would love to forget as a bad dream. But still some rational thinking prevails in the Assamese society. Caste and religion still  don't come on the way on choosing our friends.

And that's why , the news of Sarfaraz to me is all about how a bright student fought against all odds to come out with flying colors. Nothing more than that.

Wish Sarfaraz a bright future above religion and May he become an inspiration for many.

You can contact Kamaljit at kamaljitmedhi1975@gmail.com