Happy New Year. The new year has arrived and everybody is intoxicated with the joy of bidding the older year goodbye and welcoming the new one. With the hassles of the last two years, whose main priority was the SARS-CoV-2, mainly known as Covid 19, the various mutations of the virus have left everyone harassed and scared. Though it cannot be said that we are free of so-called well-wishers as it has mutated itself again to survive. But we are lucky that our government, especially our prime minister as well as our chief minister have taken steps to prevent a massive outbreak like that in China, keeping it to a minimal controlled level. I have heard that our respected chief minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, has deployed numerous SOPs to various spots that are well known for picnic celebrations, and has installed night curfews in several areas for a controlled partying atmosphere. While this will curb some of the beastly characters of the partygoers, what about the real animals which share the same space with us? I am referring to the stray animals, which primarily include dogs and cats as well as some cows who roam about on the road, scavenging from the dumpster to fill their bellies. These defenceless creatures would be beaten by the drunk hooligans, maybe killed in extreme cases, and left to rot on the sideways.

I am stating that while the government has taken steps to ensure the well beings of us civilians, why did it lag in ensuring safety for the voiceless? There are many profitable as well as non-profitable organizations and NGOs whose primary work is to see that all stray animals receive the proper care when they are sick or injured, but the lack of funds and medical intervention prevents them from functioning properly.

I know my words might sound harsh, but this is a fact. I have seen many street dogs, some even new born puppies, brutally killed by drunk men, who in the haze of intoxicated bliss don’t even realize it and commit the heinous act. It is not that it is just on a New Year’s Eve celebration. Most brutal killings happen on Holi and Diwali, when the animals are drowned in vats of coloured waters or chocked with colours, or on Diwali when they are tied with firecrackers, which explode and give them severe burns which in time become an infection and turn septic and they die a slow and painful death due to blood poisoning.

It's high time that we should take the initiative to protect the defenceless. The general public should contribute to the above-mentioned organizations so that they too can perform their duties without any roadblocks. Even the government of Assam should especially see that they are given an ample number of resources so that they can perform their duty hurdle free.

In the new year, we take resolutions on many petty things that have no value, some we can meditate upon and some we leave halfway, so why don’t we take a resolution that we will give our best and lay down our heart and soul to save the poor creatures who look upon us as their messiah or saviour so why don’t we become what they made us for them. So let us along with the other netizens of Assam took into us to become their saviour of them. Since it will be quite overwhelming for normal citizens, like us, to take such drastic actions, so we have to take slow and steady steps. First, we can provide ample funds for all the organizations of our liking. Secondly, if that is not possible, we can provide physical help by tending to the injured and giving them medicinal help. Or thirdly, we can organize an online charity fund group on any social media platform that will reach all sorts of people who are willing to donate to the noble cause but are unable to do so due to some reasons or other, but all in all, the mote point is that we should do something inside of sitting like idle ducks and blame our government.

So, as the old year bids itself goodbye on this new year, let us leave our evil and negative feelings behind with the old one and embrace the new one with wide smiles and positive emotions. Let us be upright citizens of our society and set an example for others, especially the younger generations who look up to the older generation, i.e., us as their milestone, so we have to act as one. Thus, let us all pledge that in this new year, we will at least try to be the right example for our future generation and show them the difference between the good and the bad, to begin with, we should take them to all the distressed animal’s shelters and induce them to be the voluntary little helpers of the aforementioned shelters, organizations and NGO’s.

Let us spread the message of helping those who live their day-today life by seeing our faces with their sad expression so that they may get something from us that will make their day. The new year, while as dangerous for them, is also a boon, because many restaurants and hotels make such a bulk of the amount of food that they sometimes exceed their expectations and at last end up in the dumpster. That food is a boon for the hapless beings, who then feast on them as well feed their offspring. So on my ending note, I hope and pray to God that we Guwahatians will look at this topic and try to apply this in our new year's first blank page and set the example so that not only the other general population of Assam, but the whole India gets to know about this revolution and join our cause or offer any help and be the Voice of the Voiceless and earn their good wishes and blessings. 

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