And as the country celebrates her Republic Day parade today, as Guests of Honour; leaders from all over the world walk the red carpet and watch the impressive military might and cultural floats displayed for them, in my imagination, it was the President of Brazil, the Chief Guest, who pointed to a movement beneath the red carpet.
“Oh, it’s nothing!” said the great Indian leader, trying to hide the bulge on the carpet.
“Yes, I can see it!” said the head of another country, “I can see people all over being threatened and protesting against a new law that will divide them by their religion!”
“Just look at that beautiful float of Unity in the midst of Diversity!” said the great Indian leader trying to get the other leaders from looking too closely at the carpet.
“What’s that?” asked another foreign guest.
“That’s our Rajput soldiers!” said the pleased Indian leader.
“No that!” shouted the same guest, not interested in the Rajput soldiers but looking closely below at the carpet, “It looks like state governments all over the country, having the mandate of the people are filing cases against you!”
“And that!” whispered another country leader. “There’s blood from underneath seeping onto the carpet. “It’s the blood of college students!”
“Let’s concentrate on the pageants and parade!” said the great Indian leader a tad sharply, “I’ve spent millions putting all this together.
“I can see goondas with masks beating students and fleeing! Were they caught?” asked the President of Brazil.
“I don’t know and I don’t care!” said the Great Indian leader, “My parade is more important than all that’s happening beneath the red carpet!”
“Oh my god, there’s a whole state with a thick blanket thrown on it!” screamed the President of another country, stopping and peering hard at the carpet, “Why don’t you lift the blanket sir!”
The Indian leader cursed the decorators who had not laid a thicker carpet. The tanks rumbled, the soldiers marched, the fighter planes flew impressively in formation above but the Chief Guest, Guests of Honour and slowly the rest of the world only saw communal killings, student attacks, intellectual imprisonments, internet bans and people crying for jobs and food, all beneath the red carpet.
The Great Indian leader growled, turned to the world and pointed to the impressive display he was putting up, “Look!” he screamed, “Look at our might! Look at what I have done!”
“We are looking!” shouted the world, “We are looking and we are shocked! What use your guns, missiles, soldiers and military might when you can’t hear your own people? What use of pretty cultural floats when you can’t protect minorities?”
The tanks rumble, the military boots echo, the planes break the sound barrier, but the world stares with horrified silence at what is happening beneath the red carpet..!

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