6-12 March 2015 #748

You and I

Lyricist Rajan Mukarung on his Facebook page, 1 March

Only those who experience discrimination up close and personal know what it is and how deeply entrenched it is in our society. And, they are usually the ones speaking up about the issue. Everyone else is just busy poking holes into the validity of the cause. To them I say, hold back your opposing voices. How can you promote humanity when you are too reluctant to listen to the cries of the victims?

What difference will there be between you and I, if I also become as narrow-minded as you. If it bothers you that we suggest you become more open-minded, then you can continue with what you have been doing. However, my friend, you must understand that the only thing getting worse will be your ability to see. We are only asking you to remove your blindfold and see things with clearer eyes, we are not threatening to gouge out your eyes.

The writer posted this as a reply to criticism about his earlier status on Kali Prasad Rijal’s lyrics representing the state’s hill-centric mentality:

‘May my eyes see the mountains as soon as I wake up, may these hands forever write Nepal’.

This song was not written by Kali Prasad Rijal but by the state’s hill-centric mentality. Does this mean the people who cannot see mountains are not Nepalis?