The
photograph of 1988-89 took me back to the dark period in the history of
Kashmir. Some organization was bent upon to harm the peaceful process of
education in M Dass Public School. They tried their level best to harm the
institution clandestinely.
One
day my school telephone buzzed intermittently from all the six institutions
under the M Dass banner and reported that teachers did not report for their
duty. I immediately deputed my brilliant students to all the schools to conduct
the school. The student-teachers were instructed that the school must function
normally and efficiently. The work must be as on normal days and the Parents
must not notice any change. I was delighted to see the results. Student
–teachers assigned ‘home-work’ and corrected the previous work. They ensured
that the previous lesson was learnt by the student.
It
was a strike without notice instigated by an outsider. Without losing any cool,
the school functioned well. The strike failed and the staff reported back on
duty. I maintained cool and behaved as if nothing had happened.
A
few days later, News column appeared in the News paper published and owned by
Shafi Khan son of Majnun Khan of Karan Nagar that M Dass administration compels
girl students to come to School in skirts and almost naked. I challenged his
News as rubbish.
One
day all the Muslim girls in all the six schools came to school in scarf. I
whispered instructions to all the schools that no comment be made against the
scarf. Within one week the scarf barring a few disappeared. Scarf was retained
by Mahtalat daughter of Mohammad Aslam (Star Printers) Miss Raja daughter of
Ghulam Rasool Raja (both are in the photograph); two nieces of Imtiyaz Majid
Malik, who finally shifted to Iqbal Memorial.
I
called Rifat Bhat and said to her: “ Rifat, why do you come as you used to come
earlier? Why did you not continue with your scarf? Mind it on the day of
resurrection as many ‘gunsea’ (venomous snakes) will fall on your head
as many uncovered hair you keep today.”
Rifat
begged: “Sir let me come to school without scarf. I will face and tolerate
those gunsea that day but not the scarf today”.
One
day Students suggested that they be allowed to go for Nimaz at the nearby
mosque. I gave them two options;
- Let during the month of Ramzan, the School start earlier. Let there be no recess period and the Morning Prayer. By 1 PM, English, Mathematics and Science periods would be covered and I PM their School would be off.
- The second option was that during the month of Ramzan, they would have summer vacations and their classes would be conducted when others would be away on vacations.
Students
agreed to both the options and said that they would consult their parents and
decide accordingly.
Unfortunately,
the parents did not agree to either and asked their children to concentrate on
their studies.
The
school was on the National Highway that was heavily loaded with heavy traffic.
Any parent coming personally to take his ward for Nimaz was allowed. This
facility was availed by a few local students.
The
wolf tried his best to catch the lamb on the wrong foot, but failed. The only
twist in the story is that the lamb escaped alive before the wolf could pounce
upon him. The wolf declared that the lamb was killed. Yasir Qadri (student in
the photograph) was excited to break the news of the killing of the lamb to his
classmate Arvind Razdan (In the last row). Panting he, said to Arvind: “Fitnea
ha mokliav”.
People
came to mourn the death of the lamb, little knowing that the lamb was already
away before mass migration.
Moral:
Jis ko rukhay Sainee-mar ne sukay koyee. Man proposes & God disposes.
Bríjû dàss te Girdass chhú vanàn låsív
tû båsív.
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