Since then a lot has been written and spoken about Manjunath. Most consider him a hero while some say he acted in haste. I do not intend to reiterate any part of that story. Neither his good old days at IIM Lucknow nor the long fought battle after his death. I also do not intend to praise the people who came forward to help nor do I want to thank all those who in some way or the other try to keep his memory alive. I only want to question. Whether his sacrifice made even the slightest dent?
I am not naive to believe that a Manjunath can put an end to all corruption and reform this rotten system. It would probably take thousands of Manjunath to do so. However, I only wish to find out if his sacrifice has even managed to stir our conscience. I agree that only one in a million may be as foolish or brave as Manjunath to lay down his life fighting for the truth. Yet, I only want to understand if his story has strengthened our resolve against corruption. Many of us express outrage on any such incidence by putting up statuses and tweeting our hearts out. Yet, I only hope to find whether our online outrage translates to on ground activism. Probably NOT.
It would be a shame if we cannot do a tiny fraction of what Manjunath and all other such heroes did. It’s easy to blame the government for all our follies, but it takes a mighty heart to stand up against what is wrong. We need not sacrifice our lives to create a dent. We need not give up our lavish jobs to make a mark. All we need is a will. A will strong enough to say “NO” to the extra buck that comes our way. And each such “NO” will be the real tribute to Manjunath and all other heroes who lay down their lives for the betterment of our country!
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