Madhesh, So Far Away
Gandhi’s struggle was to achieve equality for Indians
In India, but Indians are everywhere
Indians are next door in Nepal
Still fighting like blacks in the 1960s
Like Indians in the 1940s
The virus of ethnic prejudice and racism and hatred and exclusion
Mutates.
It gives the veneer of the ballot box
But hijacks the polling booth
By force
It talks democracy, but practices fascism
It is primitive.
The Madhesi struggle is one for the ages
It might appear
Madhesis are fighting
For 20th Century rights
In the 21st Century
It might as well be
That the past 500 years have belonged to Europe
The next 500 belong to India
And it all begins in Madhesh.
The fight of Madhesh
Is Delhi’s fight. The fight for Madhesh
Is Delhi’s fight.
Equality is not too much to ask for.
I am an Indian Imperialist
Seeking eqality for Indians wherever they might be.
I think of yoga and Bollywood, of Hindi
I think of both a peaceful spread and practice of democracy
I think of the Buddha, the founder of the world’s first republic
Eternal Guru
I think of Krishna.
I think of a 240 trillion dollar Indian economy by 2050.
I think of solar energy and nanotechnology.
I think in terms of over a billion connected Indians
Because connection is the new organized.
Modi has not traveled the world
So far all his visits have been to India
For there are Indians everywhere.
Shahadat dene walon se puchho
Kahenge, is vatan par sau martabe qurban.
Ek Madhesh Do Pradesh lenge
Sarkari kamkaj ki bhasha hogi Hindi
Rajya mein samanupatik samaveshi lenge
Pratinidhi Sabha mein bhi, Rajya Sabha mein bhi
Jansankhya Samanupatik pratinidhitwa.
No to toothless federalism.
No to a cosmetic state assembly that can be dissolved at whim
No to a unitary judiciary.
No to animal behavior on the streets by the security forces.
No to killings.
Anyay nahin sahenge.
Barabari lenge, barabari denge.
Apna hak lenge.
Modi par hamara bhi hak banata hai.
