I Hang My Head in Shame

Today I hang my head in shame

Seeing my people utter my name in disgrace

Soldiers die in Siachen

And JNU burns with Anti-me slogans

Why Oh Why, I ask

Do you do this to me?

I stand alone to battle it out

With the forces that want to cease my existence

Why Oh Why, I ask

Do you do this to me?

When men cross my waters to launch 26/11

And my sons and daughters are murdered mercilessly

When political parties play the blame game

I hang my head in shame

Why Oh Why, I ask

Do you do this to me?

When my sons die guarding my Kargil borders

And we still play the game of cricket in the name of solidarity

I hang my head in shame

Why Oh Why, I ask

Do you do this to me?

My battered soul just cries out

Every now and then when tolerance takes over intolerance

Is this freedom?

If it is then I don’t want to be free

Is this the freedom Bose and Bhagat died for?

Is this the freedom my soldiers protect every night and day?

Why Oh Why, I ask

Do you do this to me?

Hear me, my enemies

My head may be hanging in shame

And my soul may be battered

But,

I will stand against you every night, every day

In every campus, In every border

And I will fight you with every breathe in my soul

You will not break me

You cannot break me

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.