'If He Didn't Deserve to Live, Then who Does?' Wife's Ode to Shujaat Bukhari on His 1st Death Anniversary
To mark Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari’s first death anniversary, his wife Tahmeena Bukhari will release a compilation of his essays titled 'Kashmir's Thin Red Lines' in Srinagar.
Updated: June 14, 2019, 3:41 PM IST
@Aakashhassan
Illustration by Mir Suhail/News18.com
It was exactly one year ago on this day when one of the most-known faces of journalism in Kashmir, Shujaat Bukhari, the founding editor ofRising Kashmir, was killed in cold blood. The assassination of the widely respected editor came as a shock to the journalist fraternity, which is still trying to come to terms with the tragedy.
In a few hours from now, his wife, Dr Tahmeena Bukhari, will release a compilation of Shujaat's essays titled Kashmir's Thin Red Lines in Srinagar.
Speaking to News18.com, Tahmeena remembers her husband and gives a glimpse into life after him.
Life has been very hard since his death. His death has changed my whole world. When I think about him, I feel the absence of a man who would always be by my side when I needed him the most; who would right now have been guiding his children as they prepare to take on the world. He is no more. He is nowhere
People often ask me why he was killed. Actually, I have asked this question to myself many times. I can't think of an answer. But I often wonder that if a person like Shujaat does not deserve to live, then who else on earth does? Then there are so many theories about who killed him. I have no answer. Anyway, it would be a long, winding debate that would probably yield little. I have lost my husband and nothing can bring him back. I believe God's justice is supreme. He is up there, watching everything. I will surely get justice from him, I believe.
I will continue to remember him as a great husband and a great father. I will continue to remember the beautiful life we had together. People knew him as a journalist, friend, well-wisher, peace-lover, but I think one day, I will come up with a book and tell the story of his life. I will show the people the other side of the great man, Inshallah, I believe.
For now, my mission is to maintain all that he has left behind. To be devoted to my children and the institution that Shujaat built. All our publications are going well. Shujaat has instilled enough confidence in his team and made them capable enough to carry forward the mission of fearless journalism. Some people were expecting, maybe, that Rising Kashmir won't be able to sustain itself. There were so many apprehensions, which we all, together, have proven false.
For now, I have put together a compilation of Shujaat's work called Kashmir's Thin Red Lines. This is the work that he himself considered important. The book will give insights about Shujaat's thoughts. The book should give an idea about the subjects he found interesting and the argument he considered worth putting out.
#jammuandkashmir #kashmirrising #shujaatbukhari #srinagar
First Published: June 14, 2019, 1:07 PM IST
Edited by: Nitya Thirumalai
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