While the whole nation is mourning, and crores are seething with rage over the devastating terrorist attack on Pahalgam, Kashmir, Bollywood's Shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan expressed his feelings in an emotional post on a Sunday morning.For a long while, he had been posting empty posts on his Instagram, which had bred different speculations. At last, shattering that silence, he spoke about the Indian Army's 'Operation Sindoor'.
This was not only a note of sympathy or regard, but a note of great emotion, patriotism, poetry and defiance. Amitabh has brought out in his prose a poignant moment of the ghastly attack on April 22nd when a wife witnessed her husband get shot in front of her own eyes. The wife shouted, "Don't kill my husband!" But the terrorists did not heed. Instead, one of the militants spoke in a menacing tone, "You go and tell. who!"
Amitabh recounts this ghastly moment in his own words, as if the scene unfolds before his eyes. The pain of a wife, a countryman and a common man comes alive in his words.
While narrating this incident, he first remembers his illustrious father's famous poem, legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, also being employed in the film 'Agneepath':
"Hath me shmashan ki rak,
Phir bhi duniya kahti hai — maang me sindoor bharo!
Then Amitabh pens, "Aur oh sindoor diya Bharat ne — Operation Sindoor!" That is, India did not lower its head in the face of such agony, sacrifice and grief of the nation, but instead through 'Operation Sindoor', a sign of bravery and faith, it has made it known that the nation will not be silenced.
This 'Operation Sindoor' was a huge reply of the Indian Army. On May 7, the Indian Army demolished nine terror camps scattered all over Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in this operation. In that horrific terror strike in Pahalgam, 26 innocent civilians were killed. This army counterstep was welcomed everywhere in the country.
When someone so senior, influential, and socially conscious like Amitabh Bachchan puts up such a heart-wrenching post, it is not merely an opinion for all – it becomes inspiring. He is not merely a Bollywood actor, but has been clearly making his stand on national and international politics for many decades. He was no exception in this case too.At the conclusion of the post, he wrote, "Jai Hind. Jai Hind's army. Will not stop, will not return, will not bow down – this oath, this path of fire!"
One single sentence appears to sum up what the whole nation is thinking. The countrymen's pain, anger, pride and resolve are all combined in these words.
Since this post was uploaded, not only Amitabh Bachchan's supporters, but also numerous individuals belonging to all corners of the nation agreed with him. His post was liked and shared by millions. Numerous people wrote, "Your message has given us courage today."
Several other Bollywood and South celebrities have already opened their mouths regarding this incident. Several stars such as Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, Kangana Ranaut, Saif Ali Khan, Rajinikanth, Mammootty, Emraan Hashmi, Janhvi Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra condemned the terrorist attack and came in support of the government's action. Amitabh Bachchan's message apparently united them all.
While this, in fact, has been a significant development on the diplomatic side as well. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has indicated that following the talks between the two nations' army chiefs, it was agreed to suspend military action on land, sea and air on a temporary basis. But Pakistan didn't agree to this, they violated the ceasefire by 8 pm. Though the shelling and drone attacks ceased thereafter.
Here, such an emotional reaction of a personality like Amitabh Bachchan has caused a disturbance not only on the social networking sites but also in the media. His words are as powerful as emotional and nationalist. It can be seen from his post that he is not only an artist, but a responsible citizen, who is proud of his nation and takes a clear stand against any injustice.
This kind of post is not only a trend on social media but also a message—where the pen of the artist proves to be greater than a lethal weapon. His word speaks of truthfulness, bravery and strife.
Finally, this work by Amitabh is not only a response, it is an invitation—to the countrymen, to the stars, to the masses—where it is proclaimed, "We must not bend our heads, but rise with courage and fight. Because this is the path, this oath, this path of fire!"
