– Khan Tahir
چہرے پہ سارے شہر کے گردِ ملال ہے
جو دل کا حال ہے، وہی دلی کا حال ہے
The face reflects the city’s sorrow and dust,
What the heart endures, Delhi suffers too.
On November 17, the news broke that due to increasing pollution, all physical classes for students in Delhi were cancelled, and everything was shifted online. However, physical classes for 10th and 12th would continue.
Hearing this, every student in Delhi rejoiced.
I, too, am a master’s student at Jamia Millia Islamia.
I was still basking in the joy of Atishi’s tweet when suddenly, my eyes landed on the word “school” in the tweet.
On one hand, it read:
“Physical classes should be disconnected for all students.”
While on the other hand, it stated:
“All schools will hold online classes.”
What is the difference between “all students” and “all schools”?
This could mean two things:
- All students (bachelor’s, master’s) have been granted leave, and only school classes will be conducted online.
- Bachelor’s and master’s students are not considered students at all.
Sadly, it appears the second interpretation is correct.
My question to the government is:
Are those pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees at central universities not considered students?
Are they not human?
Does the polluted air of Delhi not affect their health?
Perhaps Delhi’s Chief Minister Atishi forgot to mention bachelor’s and master’s students in her tweet. Hoping this was the case, I visited her Instagram account, where her bio read:
“Working for an educated, empowered, and aspirational India.”
Since bachelor’s and master’s students contribute to an educated, empowered, and progressive India, perhaps that’s why they are forced to attend physical classes even in such dreadful weather.
But those currently in school will also contribute to an educated, empowered, and progressive India in the future. So why were they granted relief from physical classes and moved online?
The answer lay in her Instagram bio itself. Further down, it read:
“Harry Potter fan.”
Since Delhi’s Chief Minister Atishi is a fan of Harry Potter, perhaps that’s why school students were granted leave, while bachelor’s and master’s students are forced to attend colleges and universities in this hazardous weather.
The final straw came when, on November 18, leave was also announced for 10th and 12th students.
Delhi is the city of big hearts; that’s why decisions regarding the lungs are taking a little time.
However, our Chief Minister of Delhi also has a heart, and sooner or later, she will realise that if bachelor’s and master’s classes are not suspended, it will not only affect the students’ lungs but also their hearts.
While damage to the lungs might send students to the hospital, if the impact of Chief Minister Atishi’s decisions affects the hearts of bachelor’s and master’s students, then after facing defeat in the 2025 Assembly elections, it might be someone else who ends up in the hospital.
Bachelor’s and master’s students are repeatedly refreshing Atishi’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, hoping that someday her love for Harry Potter will fade, and her love for the public will grow.
Perhaps then, she will announce leave for bachelor’s and master’s students as well.
And replace “Harry Potter fan” in her bio with “Love for the People.”
But every refresh shatters our hopes. Yet we do not give up.
With a new hope, we refresh our minds, then the page, then refresh again, and again, and again.
We believe the day will come when our hopes won’t be crushed.
After refreshing, Atishi’s tweet will finally announce leave for bachelor’s and master’s students.
Then, we will also tell everyone with joy:
What if Delhi’s roads are in disrepair?
What if a drain is always leaking somewhere in Delhi?
What if our streets are littered with garbage?
At least our leaders think about us!
I am hopeful that if our leaders don’t think about us, they will at least think about themselves.
And one day, leave for bachelor’s and master’s students will be announced too.
One day, we will also be recognised as students, and leave will be granted for us due to Delhi’s hazardous air quality.
