What cowards are they who fear every voice
Who fear that a spark might grow into a fire
Who fear that a wave may swell into a flood
What cowards are they!
Who hide behind their military squads
Who, in the dead of the night, lathi-charge the injured
Who fear people’s unity and shut down the internet
What cowards are they!
When we fight for our rights
They divide us with religion and caste
And make patriotism, a farce
What cowards are they!
In their newspapers, tractors become machine gun tanks
And people’s struggles become terrorist activities
They dictate public issues to serve their private interests
What cowards are they!
Whenever tales of the brave and fearless are told,
Foremost will be the stories of workers-peasants struggles
Whenever history speaks of injustice and cowardice,
Your name will thus be recorded in bold letters
What cowards are they!
– Parivartan