“Some people have to think about the country, they have to think about their party, they have to work for society. They shouldn’t have a house, they shouldn’t have a livelihood, they shouldn’t have any setbacks.”
On one of my birthdays, my friend Mohammad Anwar wrote this to me.
I replied…
“When I try to think about the country, my home imprisons me; when I try to think about my party, my family holds me back; when I try to work for society, my livelihood stops me; I become chained.”
I first met Anwar on a September afternoon in 2018. He had come to pick me up at Rome airport in Italy. For the next four or five days, we spent our nights together with a few others. As we walked or sat on the deserted street in front of the Vatican, he would incessantly talk about our dreams, our ‘pencils’ – a dream that many of us might have harbored deep down but couldn’t articulate as clearly as he did. He sowed that dream in me, in us, in hundreds, thousands, lakhs of ‘pencils’. The seed he planted then gradually grew into a mighty tree.
He was an incredibly intelligent person with exceptional organizational skills. He was also a bit crazy and reckless. In his pursuit of working for the group, society, and country, he neglected his career and livelihood. We, the ordinary, chained people, advised him about his profession, his family, but he paid no heed. He dedicated everything to fulfilling his collective dream. The rest of the story is known to everyone.
Two years ago, Anwar left, abandoning his pen due to entirely personal reasons and decisions. He vanished from public sight. He began a restless life in exile.
Those of you who are asking:
Why didn’t the others bring him back? Why didn’t they stay in touch with him?
Many times, in many ways, attempts were made to contact him personally and collectively, to bring him back. But he never responded. It was his crazy and temperamental nature. He was completely dedicated to hiding himself.
Beyond my personal life, professional life, and other commitments, I tried as much as I could to contact Anwar. Perhaps I could have tried a little harder. I don’t want to avoid that responsibility.
There’s a lot of talk going around right now. None of us humans are above mistakes or errors. No one, not you, me, or Anwar, is beyond discussion or criticism. After his voluntary death, a case has been filed. His death and related matters are now under investigation. Therefore, it is inappropriate for anyone to make any speculative or imaginative comments on this matter at this time. The truth will certainly be revealed after the investigation.
Let’s not engage in any further negative discussions about a person who is no longer with us. Instead, let’s all come together and take forward the legacy he has created. As long as his legacy lives on, Anwar will continue to live on in the world, even though he has departed. Anwar will live on in our hearts.
