Reminder: Who is against us? And whom are we against?

What the recent terrorist attacks have done is reveal the cracks in our social fabric at every possible level. Everyone turned against everyone else, for no rhyme or reason.

When my friends Aalaap and Zameel refused to participate in the protest march of December 3, wherein denizens of Mumbai chose to gather at the Gateway of India to light candles, they were scolded, sneered at and were stigmatised as "unpatriotic", with someone actually going so far as to say, 'it's because of people like you all this [terrorist attack] is happening', and, 'it's because of people like you who don't do anything, no change is going to come about.'

People, people, people... who are our enemies? Oh, you don't have any enemies?

Okay, let me rephrase that, now that we're all returned to our individual selves and the hive-mind/collective-consciousness has dissipated: Who are the enemies of our state, our fellow citizens, our freedoms, our country, our very civilisation and all our ideologies? Who have repeatedly attempted to destabilise our country, one state at a time? Who have brain-washed and recruited our fellow Indians to turn against their own country? Who want to cause maximum carnage to maximum number of Indians and would target you or me or our loved ones JUST BECAUSE?

Exactly. THEY - we all know who they are, but remember -- it is NOT we.

We are the sufferers, the fellows who are united in anger and fear and disgust and loathing.

So would you mind NOT going against your fellow sufferers just because their ideas of showing their sorrow (or not showing it at all) are different from yours, or their ideas of "patriotism" do not involve making audible and visible statements? We cannot be divided any more - we must not. It's not a thing we can afford, not any more.

It's time to set aside the petty quarrels and the sense of one-upmanship. It's time to remember that there is a greater good to be worked towards, a greater good which holds true for that orderly in the Army cantonment in Dimapur; for that tanner drying camel leather near Pokhran; for your Mother and for your to-be-born nephews and nieces; for that girl who skips school to sell flowers at the Dal Lake; and for that boy who vowed to become a champion rower for the vallam kali during Onam.

Recognise that greater good. Remember that goal we all must work towards. Realise who we are and whom we are against. And take it from there.