I Am a Muslim, and I Love My India
POETRY FORMAT, 10 Oct 2016
Dr. M. Ashaq Raza – TRANSCEND Media Service
I am a Muslim, and I love my India
Yes, unconditionally I love my India
[Despite any religious affiliation
Despite a number of allegations
Despite Babri mosque demolition
Despite cow ban, madrassa education
Despite, discrimination, humiliations
Despite varied human rights violations
Despite a lot of criticism
And suspecting my nationalism
Wholeheartedly I love my nation
Because I am a native Citizen
Of this great nation
Like any other fellow citizen
And no one’s hatred, or tyranny
Towards me, my religion or community
Can derail me from loving my country
The fellow citizens or any community
Because, unreservedly I love my country
Yes, I am a Muslim, and I love my India
Yes, unconditionally, I love my India
Yes, more than anybody I am an Indian
And more than anybody I love my nation
Yes, I am a Muslim, and I love my India
Yes, unconditionally, I love my India]
Beautiful are its mountains, rivers and plains
Beautiful is every particle of my motherland
I love its dust and the sand
Nothing else suits to my mind
I will live, I will die, for my motherland
It will remain in my soul, blood and veins
No hatred, I have towards any nation
But I simply love my nation
Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian
All are my sisters and brethren
Yes, I am a Muslim, and I love my India
Yes, unconditionally, I love my India
_____________________________________
Ashaq Raza, Ph.D.: Ass. Professor of botany, Govt. College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu; former director of research at Eritrean Institute of Technology; currently an academician in Department of Higher Education, Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir (India). Founder/president “Attitude Change International”, a non-profit peace NGO engaged in sustainable peace and development; charter president, Rotary Club of Darhal Malikan. Website: www.humanrightsforpeace.blogspot.com.
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 10 Oct 2016.
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