Ganjan and Malala

This is the headline of a letter in the Statesman (17 December 2013). Therein lies the mention of the courage and bravery a 12-year-old student, Ganjan Sharma of Assam, displayed while redeeming eight children from the traps of terrorists. Children were saved but Ganjan was kidnapped by the terrorists. Later, she too was rescued by the police. The media covered this incident but in brief and the government of Assam also announced a Bravery award for Ganjan. But the central government still has not given any attention to this young brave girl. Then, the correspondent compared the Ganjan episode with the incident of Pakistani girl Malala Yusuf Zai, who was “shot at by the Taliban for supporting the education of girls”. He has written that today Malala has emerged as an international figure on the basis of her courage whereas no one outside Assam knows Ganjan although she deserves encouragement and the National Award by the Government of India. This Class VIII student has demonstrated very high morale and extraordinary courage at a difficult time. Correspondent, Ashim Kumar Chakravarty has sent this post to the newspaper from Guwahati. This incident was not seen anywhere in the national media.

This is fair enough, but....

The point of Guwahati’s correspondent is absolutely correct. The brave girl of Assam must be encouraged at the national level. However, by giving reference to Malala in the incident of Ganjan, the correspondent did not provide the proof of his total awareness. The case of Malala is diametrically opposed: she was not attacked; no one shot at her. It was a drama being played by the western powers under a wider conspiracy intended to defame Islam and Islamic groups. Those who are aware of the reality behind the campaign which is going on in the name of ‘War in Terrorism’ and the American conspiracies in this regard are well aware of the reality of the incident of Malala too. But simplistic people too should know that Islam is not against the education of girls, but more than any other religion or ideology, Islam is more supportive. The real Taliban, whether they are from Pakistan or Afghanistan, are also not against girls education. These Islamic groups are against only co-education and the teaching which makes them rebellious against their parents and traditional families by creating moral evils among the new generation.

Awards are political

As far as the question of not giving any big award to Ganjan is concerned, the compliant of the correspondent is fifty per cent right and fifty per cent wrong. It is right because children are given bravery awards each year at the central level; it is wrong because everyone is not given. For this too, they have to do lobbying. Sometimes it could be a matter of political influence and political necessity also. Now the honour like the Bharat Ratna Award has also become a subject of political necessity. This honour has been given to the actor-politician MG Ramachandran of Tamil Nadu, not known in recognition of which national service. The truth is that, Bharat Ratna award became political after only a few years of its launch when it started being given posthumously. Now it is not known to what extent this process will be extended to real or imaginary personalities in distant past. It would be better that the correspondent of Guwahati does not get involved into the matter of any governmental honour for Ganjan. Encourage the girl at the local level and ensure her future education. Along this, high moral education of girls is also important.

22/12/2013 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by:Miss Khalida Hussain