Around us, how many dark clouds of despair have begun to gather. The NEET examination scam, CBI raids on the headquarters of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, the public reprimand of the Chandigarh Administration in the Supreme Court, the arrest of a Punjab minister—nowhere is there even a ray of hope. Those moving towards “suicide” include youth, students, farmers, women, and even high-ranking officials. The biggest reason among these is lack of communication. No one is ready to listen to anyone. Everyone has closed the windows of dialogue. If you can understand the essence of this through poetry, then read this nazm by Rahat Indori (Rahi Masoom Raza mentioned in text)—
“This world belongs to lonely people.
It is a gathering.
Krishna alone, the grove lonely.
The cow alone, the butter lonely.
The hands alone, the veil lonely.
Sleep alone, the courtyard lonely.
No one knows another’s pain.
No one agrees to another’s words.”
Haryana is currently being counted among the most developing states in the country. But according to the NCRB report, in the year 2024, 3,360 people in Haryana committed suicide out of despair over life’s inequalities. Clearly, on average nine people in Haryana embrace death every day, and this figure has increased even further in 2025 and the first four months of 2026. Recently, there were also reports of suicides by jumping from upper floors of the secretariat making headlines. It is also no less shocking that the suicide prevention helpline 14416 receives an average of one call every day from people intending to take their own lives, but by the time the police arrive, the incident has already taken place. This helpline was started by the Health Department for prevention and counselling of mental illnesses.
To understand the mindset inclined towards suicide, four lines from writer Sahir Ludhianvi’s nazm also come to mind. This nazm can also be read in detail on the internet. It begins like this—its title is “Before Suicide”:
“Oh, this unfamiliar darkness, this lament of the wind.
Who knows,
whether there will be dawn after this night or not.”
The alarming facts are not only related to Haryana; in neighbouring Punjab the situation is even worse. There, in most households, stories of “chitta” (drug abuse) are turning into an atmosphere of mourning. This is the land of great Gurus, saints, and pirs, but every person is afraid of the other. The filth is so much that even cleaning it feels risky, as one fears the stains may fall on oneself. Most administrative officers are under investigation. Politicians are frightened, unsure when what scandal might be exposed. It is not that the entire system is dishonest, but fear has become so deep that officials are afraid even while signing legitimate documents.
Recently, a senior administrative officer was met. He had been removed from important postings some time ago. But he is content; he prefers being sidelined. His argument is that staying in the mainstream may bring unknown troubles.
Earlier, officials, politicians, and intellectuals used to crave media attention for hype. Now most people try to stay away from such news. If a politician maintains closeness with journalists, it is not for publicity but to use coverage against opponents.
This situation is also present in neighbouring Rajasthan. On one side, advertisements of Maharana Pratap Jayanti are printed; on the same or opposite page, news of NEET examination irregularities is published. The eyes fall less on stories of heroes and more on scam-related news. The situation becomes even more depressing when “Maa, Maanush and Maati” (mother, man, and land) champion Mamata Banerjee gets entangled in her own web. Her rubber slippers, cotton saree, paintings, and books of poetry all begin to fade into the margins. In the words of Dushyant, “there is no situation where one can escape safely.”
Meanwhile in Bengal, attempts are being made to incite unrest again over demands to offer namaz on streets. In such an atmosphere, let us pray that a breeze of dialogue and affection flows so that this boiling environment calms down.
To reduce stress among youth, the Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) has prepared a special training module for colleges. Under this, teachers and administration are being trained to identify student mental stress and manage crises. A mental health policy has been implemented in colleges and universities. Anti-ragging committees and squads have been made mandatory in all institutions, as ragging is considered a major cause of student suicides. A 24×7 anti-ragging helpline (1800-180-5522) and complaint portal have been implemented in all institutions. Sensitivity training has been started for teachers and principals so they can recognize students’ behaviour, stress, and emotional changes. Mental health awareness programs are being run compulsorily in government and private schools.
At the same time, teachers are being given sensitivity training to identify student behaviour. Anti-ragging committees have been activated in schools. Similarly, to increase parental involvement, parents are being included in school management committees. Regular safety inspections and monitoring systems are being implemented in school campuses.
