To Sharjeel Usmani : Keep your head high boy, like you always did!

By Zulfiqar Sheth

Dear Sharjeel,

Ptrakaar – this is the word we fondly recognize you. Secondly, with love, we call you "Manto". The first and foremost prerequisite of a journalist is to be “fearless” – you followed, very well. You and your pen followed for what Manto is known to us. Your pen not only stood up for exposing the wrongs and wrongdoers but also it gave a voice to voiceless. Your courage and standing by side of truth are exemplary. This is what exactly a torchbearer of Sir Syed's legacy should do – and you are. Your tireless effort to change the paradigm of the surroundings and fearlessly exposing parasites of the society is nothing but an extension of a renewed Aligarh Movement.

But wait, how come this change is possible without paying the price? Whoever advocated change and stood by truth, they have had to pay the price – our history is replete with such stories. They all were abused, mocked and manhandled by our so called leaders and people at large. They were tortured and trolled, they were punished and boycotted. They were defamed and their characters were assassinated. Take the example of our own Sir Syed; some of the sons and daughters of this land like Ismat Aapa, Rashid Jahan, Ali Sardar Jafri, Manto, and Hasarat Mohani; well they are still abusing Prof Irfan Habib – you must have heard and seen. But what? Were they able to silence the voice? Were they succeeded in their agenda? Were they able to stop the movement of liberation and justice and standing up for truth? NO, a big NO. History always remembers fighters not hooligans. It happened to above mentioned and same is happening to you. They can bully us but can’t beat us.

Sharjeel, I understand your pain, I understand how it feels when people bully us for speaking up the truth, and especially those who were chosen to protect our rights. I can imagine how it feels when these leaders try to shirk our voice and humiliate us for taking the side of justice. I am with you like many other Aligs who entirely rejected this cowardice act. I am with you today not as your senior and elder brother but I am with you as your fellow truth seeker. I am with you because I am ashamed of what my union did to you, I am with you because I can feel your pain and I am with you because echo of your voice is humming in my ears. I am with you because this news can’t allow me to sleep. I am with you because I cannot escape from my responsibility, I can’t turn a blind eye to all injustice and humiliation happened to you. I am with you because I truly believe that the new dawn will come to us by youngsters like you who are the architect of our society. Sharjeel, great societies are not made overnight – it demands sacrifices and continues efforts. I am with you for your all sacrifices and unstoppable efforts!

Sharjeel, they humiliated you because you are one who belongs to “the Cheetah generations of Aligs”. The Cheetah Generation is a breed of Aligarians who brooks no nonsense about fallacy, showmanship, fake heroism, and injustice. They understand what justice, rights, and democracy are! They value free speech and liberation. They do not wait for the magic wand to do things for them. They believe in a zeal and perseverance of Sir Syed and that can brilliantly be paraphrased as“ekla chalo re” . That's the Cheetah Generation, and AMU’s and India’s salvation rests on the backs of these Cheetahs. 

In contrast, of course, we have the Hippo Generation. The Hippo Generation are the people who are hypocrites, people with double standards and the people who have enjoyed your posts silently, kept their screenshots to use on time for their motives with other contexts, they are feeling exactly what you write but prefers to keep mum to avoid hostility. They are free riders who ride on the shoulders of people like you. They speak on their back what you do at horse’s mouth. They are stuck in their intellectual patch, they wouldn't move one foot. If you ask them to reform the institutions, they're not going to reform it because they benefit from the rotten status quo. Thank you Sharjeel for being a cheetah and not a Hippo!

George Orwell once said “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act” – I think he was talking about this time today we live in. Thank you for your revolutionary efforts. Whenever you met me I always told you and here I am retreating again, do not believe in any prediction that does not empower you. Do not distract and do not feel low. Keep doing whatever you are doing with great zeal- you are here to express not impress. 

People will tell shit and judge you in mere 20 minutes. But you know yourself for 20 years. Remember if you get distracted - they win. So rush forward with more power. Let me remind you a famous story - one day Maulvi Mushtaq Hussain sahab told Sir Syed about his magazine,

Sir Syed Sahab agar logo ko ye sab baatien kahenge to eent- patthar marenge hamein". Sir Syed calmly responded "hamein wo eent-patthar university ki tameer karne ke liye chahiye.

Sharjeel you should feel proud that you are standing on the shoulders of great giants of this great legacy. Every word or action that aimed to bully you, to humiliate you, to abuse you, to stop you – must become your strength ! 

Cheer up champion, abhi aage bahot kaam karne he …

With Love,

Your Zulfi Bhai

The author is a research scholar at AMU