“Hum Munni ko uske ghar pauncha ke hi rahenge”.
So, how many of us are not acquainted with this hottest dialogue of the year? None? Yes, NO ONE! Bajrangi Bhaijaan is one of the blockbusters in the Bollywood. The film is all about how Bajrangi finds a Pakistani, deaf and mute girl, and how he struggles to reunite her with her family. Blah! Blah! Blah! I needn’t give any detailed summary of the film because all of us have seen the film once and had cried a lot at the last, didn’t we?
But people, have you ever imagined that this might happen in reality too? Surprised? Don’t be, because we have a real life Munni and Bajrangi. An Indian, mute and deaf girl now 23, was of 11 years when she had committed the mistake unknowingly. It’s still unclear how she crossed India and landed in Pakistan.But fortunately, she managed to find her Bajrangi Bhaijaan in Pak.
Few soldiers had found Geeta near the Pakistan border. They took her to Eidhi Foundation. At first, Geeta was kept at a home for abandoned and orphaned children in the eastern city of Lahore, where she was given the Muslim name Fatima. She had become arrogant by nature and used to pick fights with the other children. So, the charity decided to shift her to the headquarters of the NGO, in Karachi. Then, Faisal Edhi’s mother realized that the girl was Hindu, since she touched her feet as per Hindu tradition. Later, she changed her name to Geeta. Over the years, charity founder Abdul Sattar Edhi, took Geeta to pray at Hindu temples. Charity officials marked Hindu holy days with her and included her in their Muslim celebrations. (Source)
Geeta must have never felt that she was not in her country. No one forced her to change herself to Islam. Nobody forced her to become non-vegetarian. The love and support that Edhi family had provided her proves everything.
Geeta could have had a tough life in Pakistan, if Bilquis bibi wouldn’t have loved her like she does. This story unknowingly and unintentionally reunites the two rival countries. Does it not? The moment, Edhi family had come to know her religion, they could have left her or they could have conditioned her to change into Islam. But they didn’t. They respected her religion, her ideas, her habits. A Muslim family and a Hindu girl stayed together for 12 years. Together. Just like a family. What can make our day and make us smile brighter?
Some people forget what humanity is while some does something which sets an example for others. Which side will you choose is up to you. Just make sure whatever you choose brings peace and makes world a better place to live in. Not only did Edhi family take care of Geeta but also, kept her hopes alive of getting back to India and reunite her with parents. Faisal Edhi and Ansar Burney had come to India to find her parents out long before. But India isn’t small, right? They went back dejected. Now they had written to the foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj about the case. She considered it and had promised to bring the daughter of India back. Geeta has recognized her family in one of the photographs of Bihar. She’ll be back in India by 28th October. Conclusive proof of parentage can only be made after DNA tests are conducted.
As far as I know, India and Pakistan are nuclear rivals. The neighbors have fought three wars since the partition. Most of the Muslims steer clear of Hindu and vice versa. We refrain from sharing the bond like we do with the other countries. A different has-to-win feeling arises when there’s a match between India and Pakistan, on both the sides of the border. Neither of them can lose because it’s the question of dignity and self-esteem. But, humanity and love speaks louder than all the competition and challenges that both the country has. Despite ups and downs in ties, both countries are neighbours which is inevitable and they have to take up humane responsibilities. Some things have changed. Let’s change the rest.
