Tear Gas Didn't Make Us Cry

DREAMS

I was no different than any of you. A normal student aspiring to become greater than what destiny had chosen for me. A young boy from a small town in Uttar Pradesh, here in a mega city of New Delhi, I was trying to make my parents proud. My name is Arsalaan, a student of Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI), Delhi's one of the most prestigious educational institutes. I have been in Delhi for nearly five years. The city is not far from Uttar Pradesh – yet they are two different worlds, in terms of lifestyle and society.
I lived with my uncle, a man who saw me no different than his own son. Never did he or his family let me feel as if I was away from home. Of course I would go visit my family once in a few months but this year was a little different. I hadn't met them in almost eight months now. I guess the hustle of college in the big city does that to people. I was in my second year here at JMI and pretty happy with the progress I was making. The environment is always so welcoming here, be it the first time you walk in or an everyday routine for us students. Peace and the unity of the students, and of the institution, never failed to surprise me. But most of all, the people. Students from far and wide, belonging to any race, caste, community, social group or religion were welcome here with open arms.
It was the dream institute for someone as socially active and extroverted as me. I always found comfort amongst a group of people, in a busy crowd or a loud street buzzing with life, not to mention my immense engagement in political debates and my viewpoints. I always had a strong opinion against oppressive and unlawful events taking place around the country. Actually most of the people,  the educated youth, showed similar interests in these matters as me. They knew how to take a stand for what they believed was right. Perhaps that's why the youth is so powerful. For every moment I would see someone as young as me stand up and raise his/her voice for the nation's benefit, be it in a public protest or even in the vicinity of the campus, it would always ignite a glimmer a light of hope inside me, that when needed I could stand alongside these people and fearlessly share my opinion and conscience with those around me.
Little did I know that the biggest test of our unity was yet to come and that it would require the willpower and unity of not just us Jamiites but the unity and strong will of the entire nation.