Be vigilant

by Lakmal Welabada

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Sihina Ahase Vasanthe

Thaaraka Mal Hinahuna....

Tapping his drum rhythmically, he started his song walking to and fro in the bus at the Maharagama junction which was about to start its journey on the 138 bus route.

"Ranchu Gahila Kurullo

Ohe Piyamba Giyawe

Thuruliya Go...mu..we.. Oh! whose bag is this?"

I almost thought it was part of his song, and it took me some seconds to realize what the singer was trying to say. He was pointing a bag placed on the seat just behind mine. The conductor who was issuing tickets at the front swung himself to the middle where the so called bag was placed. "Whose bag is this?" he raised his voice.

"Oh! oh! it's mine, it's mine," a middle aged male passenger who was having a brief talk with his acquaintance at the front of the bus said "Why did you leave your belongings and go? You people should act more responsibly," blagarded the conductor.

"Yes, yes," the passenger accepted he had done wrong and sat with the bag on his lap. I looked around to see the response of the other passengers. All eyes were on the bag.

I was wondering how people have become so vigilant over things.. Unlike earlier, I suppose almost all the passengers who travel in buses have taken things as their own responsibility, for today, travelling in the public transport is a great risk.

No more dozing or day dreaming. Even the SMS users who chat on the mobiles, lovers who live in their own worlds in a corner of the bus (probably at the very back) and the readers who get engulfed in their reading materials until the termination of their journey have one common thing too worry, BOMBS!

The threat has become a common enemy in today's society! No one can avoid the risk.

People talk about doomsday which would destroy the earth along with humans and animals. None can easily predict when we would get it nor can anybody escape from natural disasters.

Until then, we, people like to live. But, hatred, greediness and jealousy have caused man to turn against his own kindred. Some media channels call them 'rebels'.

What rebellion activities do they perform by killing innocent lives? What can they expect by slaughtering an infant clinging on to his mother's breast? More than praying for the safety of the general public I think we should pray for those, there rebels to gain clear vision and stop these disasters.

Till then, be vigilant!