Snobbery

On the eve of Independence

we sit in the garden and read newspaper

on the front page, we read how far we have come

we built world class schools, colleges and universities

we turn over the page… 

on the next page, we read how someone was bullied

on the tone of colour in a school

we turn to next page and learn about the 

modern hospitals and great infrastructures

while a news on the next column reads: 

a person was subjugated in the name of religion 

a few miles away from the parliament. 

We go back to our room

we turn on the television, 

there’s a debate going on:

some people part with one ideology, 

while the other with another ideology

the debate ends in debacle

we turn off the television as

we get in our own debate—

she says fetters of snobbery still enslave us

as I nod in affirmation.