By entering into the New Year 2017 we earnestly hope that we are turning a new leaf that will bring to our world peace and progress, universal fellowship and freedom from fear.
We believe we shall not witness the sordid sight of dead refugee children washed ashore questioning if we have even an iota of conscience left.
We will not want to see overcrowded rickety boats of refugees floating directionless over the ocean expanse forcing people into a rudderless existence.
We want men of conscience to question why human beings are persecuted by religious fanatics because some choose a different religious path.
We call for sanity instead of religious or ideological terrorism.
We advocate equality among men and women in religious rituals, in political arena, in social sphere, in public life, in literacy, in education, in administration, and in freedom of speech.
We want people to preserve their sanity and not to dictate to men or women what to wear or how to wear as long as long as others’ freedoms are not violated. We do not want people to heap on others their own ideas of modesty or immodesty.
We propose that people look into themselves and their behaviour in private or public before they dictate terms to others concerning how others should behave or live.
We believe that wars and terrorism have no place in human communities.
Let us all remove our own fig leaves of hypocrisy and doublespeak.
Let us all work towards peace and amity, fellowship and fundamental rights.
Let us teach our children noble scientific values and principles and thus enable them to keep away from religious superstition and fanatic fundamentalism. Let them learn to live as brothers and sisters among Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Parsees, Jains, Buddhists, tribals or any group or community.
This globe is everyone’s. Not to be cut into pieces and appropriated by the mighty and the hefty leaving others displaced and marginalised. Let us all strive to preserve our own lives and our social, cultural, and political environment pollution free. As we pass out, let our children inherit a humane world.