Why do Grasshoppers make much noise these days?

There are three ways to make you do things. Make the thing, fun to do, force you into doing it or make sure you do it. Terrorism is no exception. Some of you might want to call it a protest, others would like revolution. Call it by any name, it is still the thing. In her latest book, "Listening to Grasshoppers", Arundathi Roy(one of my role models), chose to call it RESISTANCE. I am not going to comment on it. Two reasons, one I am no expert in human violence, two I have not read the book yet(I am eager to lay my hands on it soon). Whatever I know about the book is from a newspaper article. Let us hear the grasshoppers.

First, let me make clear where I stand. A couple of years ago, when I was still in college, I had a soft corner for Communism. On books, It looked a great idea. Slowly, I learnt how irrelevant it has become to this modern World. The 20th century saw Communism as a creature with gun in a hand and a cloth in another, the cloth to wipe off the blood the gun spills. Its cruelty grew with its irrelevancy. Maoism and Naxalism are the children of this cruel creature. Betrayed by its own family, the children waged war against the entire World. And today, this war possesses the serious threat to peace of the socialist India.

India was never a communist state. It was not even ruled by the so-called Communist Party(Parties) of India. Before Independence it was ruled by a Capitalist west and after Independence it chose Socialism. But was it really socialist all these years?? Between 1947 and 1991, before liberalization, most of the power vested with the state. It had control over all four pillars of democracy. All industries were owned fully by the state or at least it was a stake holder. The running of the state was so close to communism and that ensured no individual was never powerful than the state. All men shared the wealth(at least all lived poor).

And when India liberalized trade, little did she think, it would become a nightmare. Capitalists and Opportunists ventured into the country. They brought with them development. Computers, telephones, fast food, cars, flights, high standards of living and luxury flocked in with them. Roads, Rails, and Ports were constructed. Heavy Industries, Software and manufacturing companies gambled with their choices. Millions of fresh jobs were created, GDP boomed, average income of households increased, per capita saw new heights. But it also ensured thousands of villages disappeared from the Indian map. Some of them became SEZ's, others just became invisible. Roads never connected these villages. Passing trains never bothered to stop. Electricity was given only on election day. And life here became worse than death.

This Negligence paved way to terrorism. 20% of the country enjoyed the flesh and left only the bones for the rest 80%. 20% of the population were cursing the mobile phone service providers for a second delay, while the rest 80 % had to be happy with telegrams. When 20% of the population were vacationing in a Beach resort, the rest 80% had to feed them. When 20% of the nation was worried about the GDP, pay hikes, 80% worried about their next meal. When 20% of us spoke English, the rest had to settle uneducated. When we were happy fucking, they had to hold on to their lives. And over 2 decades of this negligence armed a few among those 80%. We lived as if they never existed. They wanted to show they did. And we call this act terrorism. The country(just a minority, to be frank) forgot to see its interiors or chose to ignore it. Now they have decided to return the favor.

But, Well, does this negligence by the rest of the country give them the right to kill?? I don't think so. This is were resistance and terrorism differs. Resistance is the non-violent form of terrorism and terrorism is its violent sibling. Jesus told, or at least the Bible tells, to show your right cheek when someone hits your left. Today's World will call this a man, a stupid. Resistance means to make sure you don't get hit on the right. Terrorism means to kill the one who hit you, before he can hit you again. The cause is the same, actions differ. Maoists and Naxals prefer the latter means. A movement that was founded to lead a peaceful life has started spilling blood. And now, to them killing seems to be so much fun. They wanted us to see them. They have managed to dot it, but by all wrong means. And doing so, they have managed to create a perception that 80% of the country's population are violent and made sure that the remaining 20% hated them to the core.

they could have achieved what they wanted. A smiling farmer, educated children, safety of their women, a comfortable life, unending happiness, and the sharing of not only wealth but also love. But they chose to behead a soldier over saving a dying farmer. They chose to abduct children for money over taking care of their children. They preferred to rape, rob and kill wealthy women over ensuring the safety of theirs. They chose guns and bombs over TV's and restaurants. They chose to inflict pain in other's minds, over searching for theirs. They chose hatred over love and death over life. They gave this country a permanent scar.

The grasshopper has slowly grown into a dragon and has started claiming lives. If we have to listen to real grasshoppers its time we tamed the dragon. And to those grasshoppers out there, we will listen to you as long as you chose to speak.

(The writer is no expert of anything. He is just a Bangle seller's son employed by a Capitalist firm, in a Socialist state with Communist intentions. He just wants a peaceful World and headlines on newspapers without words like killed, massacred, blood, bombs, suicides, beheaded, etc. )