Omar Abdullah Reflects on Resilience Amid Challenges, Posts Kipling’s Poem on ‘X’
Srinagar, Dec 23, KNT: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has been facing mounting challenges, including the denial of statehood by New Delhi and a protest demonstration outside his residence by his own party leader, Rahullah Mehdi, turned to a powerful message of resilience on social media.
Amidst the political turbulence, Omar Abdullah took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the poem “If—” by Rudyard Kipling. The poem, renowned for its themes of endurance, patience, and self-control in the face of adversity, seems to reflect the Chief Minister’s thoughts as he navigates a period of personal and political turmoil.
In his post as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust, Omar Abdullah quoted lines from Kipling’s poem that speak to keeping one’s composure when surrounded by chaos and criticism: “If you can keep your head when all about you / Are losing theirs and blaming it on you.” The lines emphasize staying calm, maintaining trust in oneself, and resisting the temptation to succumb to negativity or resentment when faced with external pressures.
The poem also speaks to the value of resilience, urging individuals to persist despite setbacks and opposition, to treat both success and failure with equal detachment, and to stay true to one’s values amid shifting circumstances. “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster / And treat those two impostors just the same,” the poem reads, conveying the importance of equanimity in the face of both victory and defeat.
For many, this post by the Chief Minister is seen as a reflection of his own struggles and his response to the difficulties faced by his administration. In the wake of the political challenges, Omar Abdullah’s sharing of the poem may be interpreted as a call for calm and strength, both for himself and for his supporters, encouraging them to stand firm despite the uncertainty surrounding J&K’s future. [KNT]
