LOVE LIVES ON...

They lost the ones they loved to hate crimes in the most tragic manner. And yet they believe that only love has the power to vanquish hatred. Here’s what these invincible people have to say on Valentine’s Day

Shara Prayag and Prerna Gauba Sibbal

They had always believed in the magic of love. When they found love, their world lit up. Little did they know that their joy would one day turn into the most unimaginable agony. The ones they loved so deeply

W ith the death of her husband, Rajni Rathore lost her best friend. “He wasn’t just my husband... he was the closest friend I had. He loved cooking with me in the kitchen... whenever I cooked alone, he would joke, saying, ‘aaj khana achcha nahin bana hoga... mera haath jo nahin laga’,” she recalls. Rajni is the wife of UP police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh Rathore, who died in violent clashes in Bulandshahr. Her husband’s memories give her the courage to keep the fight for justice going on. “Unki har ek baat yaad aati hai. He was a very brave man who always stood up for what is right. He taught his children to be true towards were snatched away from them in the most soul crushing manner. Their wounds will always be fresh and yet they haven’t stopped believing in the power of love. On Valentine’s Day, these brave people tell us why love and only love is the most powerful antidote to hatred.

their duties to the nation. He taught them not to hate or discriminate. His words give me courage even in his absence,” she says.

It pains Rajni deeply to see so much misplaced rage around her. “Those who have a compassionless heart are so unlucky. There’s just so much hatred brewing. It’s tragic that people give in so easily to hate. It took my husband’s life and left us so helpless,” she breaks down while talking to us over the phone. The next moment, she composes herself and says, “Once you fill your heart will love, there will be no room for hatred. Bade hi badnaseeb hote hain who log jinke dil mein pyaar ki jagah nafrat palti hai.”

‘IT’S EASY TO HATE..ANYONE CAN FALL FOR IT, LOVE DEMANDS COURAGE, BUT IT TRANSFORMS YOUR LIFE IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WAYS’