Flowers !

The first picture is a flower and buds with some leaves on their stem and the latter two flowers have only remnant of the leaves. The caterpillars eat the leaves first and then go on to eat the flowers.

During the last few weeks, my 'Project Monsoon' involved rescuing the flowers before they are consumed by the caterpillars. I rarely have succeeded the getting the flowers with the leaves. 

The flowers in a vase do not look fresh or stay fresh as they already suffered form the invasion of the caterpillars.

It is a competitive world where contrasting interests come to play. For the caterpillar it is quest to complete its life cycle. For me, my dream for rose plants is to blossom with flowers. As of now, both interests are compromised. Neither caterpillars get the flowers nor do I get the flowers fresh! 

This is a theme worth looking at! 

The government of India is pursuing a citizen's registry in the North Eastern States after it was done in Assam. Of course many foreigners would be identified. But most of them are naturalised at par with native citizens over the years. Now after twenty, thirty or forty years or more, we unsettle them and make them unauthorised migrants. This is partisan view of things because most of the naturalised residents are from minority communities. So those from the minority communities feel threatened and targeted!

The government of India unsettles the naturalised citizens and the create another category of people who have no nationhood. They would not be welcome in their parent country after several decades. They are not welcome in India either. The contrast is between government's intent and yet another threatened displacement of people. 

Who should be generous here! To me it should be the government of India. India invaded East Pakistan and created Bangla Desh. People from East Pakistan migrated during the war across the borders. Since then, India and Pakistan are bitter enemies. There was a freedom movement led by late Mujib Rehman in East Pakistan to become independent of Pakistan and India supported it. Now we oppose those who migrated! That is where there is a dichotomy. 

It is India's interference in East Pakistan which created the migration of a few millions to India. Now years later, we are about to disinherit them! 

Caterpillars and I have contrasting interests. But now we seem to have reached a compromise. They can have the leaves and I will have the flowers.

I wish government of India too would come to a position of compromise! Humanity transcends nationality and religion! I wish the government India would come settle for a humane response!

My Project Monsoon is succeeding. Th caterpillars have spared this bush of rose. Since the respite from monsoon they have moved on to other leaves! So they do not need the rose plant.

People migrate for better prospects. Should not India be a friendly neighbour sharing its resources with less advantaged countries in our neighbourhood!


M.C.Mathew ( text and photo)