Radical Rahman By Sagar Dharmendra Sankhe

Part one

16th April, 1994

Mall Road, Manali ,

Himachal Pradesh

“Never forget your history, nor your

destiny”, walking on the busy street of Manali, I read this baffling byword

written on the corner of a wall. One can remember or forget his history but

destiny? Destiny is something unknown, something not in our hands. I don’t know

who wrote it and in what state of mind but it was deep.

 

It was our fourth day in Manali.  My school gang and

I had come here for summer camp. Mall road is one of the busiest place in

Manali. My friends were busy buying stuff for themselves and their loved ones.

I hated shopping. Market was chaotic but still there was a kind of peace. A

small kid asking for an ice cream from his dad caught my eye. A father and son

relationship is the most twisted relationship in this world. When you are a

kid, father’s shoulder is your biggest support but as you grow up it becomes a

burden.  Abu and I shared a different relationship. In these twelve years I shared a very strong bond with him. Every single thing in my life he knew. That boy seemed to share a same kind of relationship.

Photography was my passion and so I started clicking pictures of that kid and

his father. All of sudden out of nowhere somebody shot that kid’s father. He

fell down and the kid started screaming. People started running here and there.

I heard few more gun shots. Something was seriously wrong. Abu had told me to

be careful as he feared something like this may happen. Just a year before

massive riots took place in Bombay. A biggest fight between the Hindus and the

Muslims. I got scared and was about to start running when a hard rock hand

grabbed my neck. For a moment I was complete  blank. When I got back my senses,

I was at a gun point. There were three policemen standing in front of me. The

terrorists or whoever they were, were six. They warned the policemen to step

backward or else they will shoot me. In order to get themselves out of this

situation, they used me and abducted me.

 

20th April, 1994

Grant Road,

Mumbai, Maharashtra

For nearly four days I was blind folded. I didn’t know where I am.I was in a jeep. We were travelling and I didn’t get anything to eat in these four days. I was

starving and crying. I missed my Abu, I missed my Ammi. I missed those narrow

lanes of Muzzafarpur where I loved playing cricket with my gang. I didn’t know

where they are taking me. I didn’t know what’s going to happen next. All I

wanted is to go back home and hug my Abu. I wanted to play cricket with my

friends. After four days when they opened my eyes, it was all bright. For the

first time I was afraid of the light. Darkness was smoothening. I got down of

the jeep. I asked them where I am and what are they going to do with me. They

said we are in Bombay. They were short of money so they sold me to a man. The

man took me to some very creepy place. There were many other kids like me out

there. They took me to a room where a grumpy witch like lady was teaching

something. She was teaching how to beg. They made me sit in that room. I didn’t

know what’s going on. My life had taken a drastic turn. From the narrow lanes

of Muzzafarpur where I used to play cricket, they brought me to busy streets of

Mumbai, where I started begging.

 

2nd May, 1994

I came

back after a very hectic day. They made me beg first outside a mandir and then

outside a mosque. The people were very heartless. All they want was money. I

got food at 10. I finished eating and was going to my room when I heard a very

disturbing conversation. Mannu was talking to the lady in charge.  He wanted to have some crazy insane fun. This

night for a change he wanted a young boy to spend a night with. He said send

that guy Rahman to my room. I was shocked. I was about to run when they spotted

me. The lady came out and dragged me into the room. She locked the door from

outside. Mannu was coming towards me. I was in a huge trouble. Somehow I had to

get out. Never forget your history, nor your destiny is what kept running in to

my head. I was walking backward when I fell down. There was a sword beneath the

bed. I took that sword in my hand and stood up. Mannu started laughing. He said

it’s not a toy kid and keep it down. I warned him to stay away but he didn’t

listen and so I had to take a firm step. I killed Mannu that night. He was

lying on the floor dead. Now I had to get out of the place. The window was

open. I jumped out of the window and started running. I started running for my

life, I started running for my freedom. The Journey had just begun, the change

had just begun. Abu was still far away.

 

 

PART TWO

2nd May, 1994

Grant Road, Mumbai,

Maharashtra.

I killed that swindler

and ran away. I reached the grant road station. It was 11:30 I guess. Station

was abnormally vacant. Usually people say Mumbai is a city that never sleeps

but today it was sleeping or to be precise it was afraid. I asked a beggar

sleeping on the station why is the station empty? He replied in some parts of

Uttar Pradesh riots broke out between the Hindus and the Muslims so people are

scared to get out of their homes. I was talking to that beggar when I heard “look

there he is, catch him.” I started running. I was a small kid and they were in

their 30’s so for me to run  away from them was not a difficult task. I was

running on the streets and then I got into a slum. I cried for help, I started

banging the doors but nobody opened. I was running, people were very heartless.

I lost all my hopes when a hand dragged me in. It was dark inside so I didn’t

see who saved me.

With

the new rays of light and hope I welcomed the morning with a breath of fresh

air. I knew wherever I am, I am safe. The man who saved me last night had gone

out. It was a horribly small room. I was hungry and so I wanted to have

something. I started searching for food but there wasn’t any. “You hungry? Come,

have this wada pav “.A tall man was standing behind at the door. I took the

wada pav from his hand and started eating. After filling my stomach, I thanked

him for the last night. I narrated him the entire story and started crying.

That man hugged me and said don’t worry my child, I will take you to your home.

You will meet your Abu once again. I will take you to Muzzafarpur. Do you have

any phone number of your Abu or your neighbour or anybody? He asked. I gave him

the number of my uncle and told him to contact him as soon as possible. The man

said don’t worry my child, I will be back in a while.

It was

evening time when the man returned. He looked bit disturbed. He made me sit on

the broken couch and told look son, I have a news for you. What news? I asked.

He said son yesterday a huge riot broke out in Uttar Pradesh between the Hindus

and the Muslims. Yes I know about it, I said. Muzzafarpur was also affected by

it. I called your uncle but he didn’t receive the call. I called again, some

neighbour answered. When I asked him about your Abu and your uncle he said, the

cruel Hindus burned them alive. I was stunned. I didn’t know how to react. The

man continued, These Hindus are very cruel. They raped your Ammi and your little

sister before killing them. Your entire family is dead my son, your entire

family is dead.

All of

a sudden, I had no hope to live. Life had come to a standstill. I wanted to

meet my Abu, I wanted to hug him but he was dead. Where do I go now? What’s

left in my life? I didn’t know. Lying on the floor I started screaming and

crying. All those happy moments spent with my family were running in front of

my eyes.

The

man came ahead and hugged me. He said son whatever happens in life, happens for

a reason. It wasn’t a normal coincidence that you got abducted.  Allah wanted this. He took kurbani from you.

Son, your Abu’s blood, your Ammi’s dignity should not go waste. Tomorrow I am

living for Gilgit. You come with me. Like you there are many other children

there, troubled by the Hindus and their Hindustan. We fight for jihad my son

and you join this battle with us. You have to give justice to your Abu, you

have to be strong. From today you are my child and I am your chachujaan.

 

Next day we left for Gilgit. Gligit is in Azad Kashmir also known as Pak

Occupied Kashmir. Chachujaan had contacts with few people who helped us to

cross the Line of Control. While crossing the line, I looked behind. Hindustan

was my history now and Jihad my destiny, had to remember both.

 

PART THREE

“You are drifting yourself away from Allah when you are killing the

innocent. Humans created casts and religions only for the proper functioning of

the society but now its working against the society.”

This is what Abu taught me when I was young. My Abu was a

patriot. He loved his nation and humanity a lot. But what did he get in return?

He was burnt alive and before that he had to see his own wife, his own daughter

getting raped. I had to take revenge of my Abu’s death but I knew for that I had

to go away from him. Abu was against terrorism, he was against violence. But

today this was the only path left in front of me. He loved humanity but humans

are not meant to be loved, they are meant to be killed. Bloody all of them are

so heartless and selfish. When I came to Gilgit I thought our battle is against

the Hindus but no we terrorists have no religion, we have no cast. Our battle

is against humanity, our battle is against humans.

 

 

Gilgit

Azad Kashmir

“By killing these heartless humans we will

seek place in Jannat. Allah has sent

us on this planet for a mission. Our birth and death is for Jihad. Al-jihad fi sabil Allah (striving

in the way of God) “, Rahim Miya said. I was a

mujahid now. My struggle was against the enemies of Islam. It was the battle

against Hindus, it was the battle against Muslims and it was the battle against

every single religion because all are responsible for the detrition of Islam in

some way or the other, that’s what they told me.

My training started in Gilgit. They

taught me how to operate guns, grenades and all other stuff. They used to take

us for hunting every day. We used to shoot any random person walking on the

street. I had become heartless now. My shooting skills were really good and so

they started calling me Radical. I was trained to kill people and when time

comes I was trained also to kill myself.

 

13th September, 2009

The time of my sacrifice for

Jihad had come. In past 15 years I had killed many innocents but this time they

wanted me to kill myself. I was a Fedayeen. India had organized a huge fest for

peace between all the religions. I had to go there and blow myself up. While

leaving I talked to Chachujaan for one last time.

“I won’t disappoint you chachujaan. Fateh humarai hogi”.

“I

trust you my son. I know you will accomplish our mission,

Will never forget your sacrifice son. This is

for jihad. This is for justice.

I believe in my Radical. I know Fateh humari

hi hogi.”

 

 

25th September, 2009

New Delhi

India is a developing country. We have

progressed a lot in technology and infrastructure. But still even today there

are people hungry for money and this is the reason why corruption is at its

peak. We terrorists always take advantage of this situation in India. A corrupt

security officer helped me to get inside the auditorium.  I had 3 more hours to live. In past 15 years

my life had taken a drastic change. One trip changed everything. One quote and

that is what my life is. Photography was my passion always and so I started

clicking pictures.

I was clicking pictures

when I saw a kid playing with a man who seemed to be his grandpa. He wanted ice-cream.

The conversation between the two was very cute. I started clicking their

pictures. The grandpa of that kid turned towards me when the kid started

running. I was shocked to see. That person was no other. My Abu was standing in

front of me. He was alive. The kid banged me while running, said sorry and ran

towards his mother. Ammi and Razya my younger sister had also come to the fare.

My entire family was alive. They were never killed. Chachujaan had bluffed me.

He lied.

All these years I was

fighting for my Abu’s blood. I went against his teachings in order to give him

justice. I felt guilty, very guilty. I killed so many innocents in the name of

Jihad. I had to get out of that place but something within me didn’t allow me

to. My conscious told me why are you scared now? The innocent people you killed

in past 15 years were also somebody’s Abu or kid but that didn’t affect you,

then why now. Humans are meant to be killed so go kill them. You have promised

fateh to your chachujaan.  You are a

living bomb now. You have to and you ought to kill.

I knew I had to die today but

before dying I had to confess. I had to talk to my Abu. Abu was sitting alone

in the Garden. Raziya’s kid was playing there. I sat on the bench and asked can

we talk? Yes my child, Abu replied. I said I have to confess something. There

is a fact that you need to know. I am Rahman Abu, I am your small little kid.

Hearing this Abu broke down. He started crying and kissing me. He asked me

where I was. I said, in search of you Abu, I was in search of you.

“Can I Hug you  Abu?”

“You can hug me forever son”

I hugged Abu, took a deep breath and

pressed the button…………………………