Keenan & Reuben you were fearless, righteous and heroic!

“Surely they shall not be moved forever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.” -- Psalms 112:6

Dear Mrs. & Mr. Santos/ Fernandez,

Our solicitous prayers and heartfelt condolences are with you, at this hour of grief. We know that your loss is irreplaceable or inconsolable but at the same time we are sure you must be very proud of your sons. Their actions were fearless, righteous and heroic.They have not only inspired us and numerous other youth all over the country but have truly ignited the fire of revolution amongst us.

In our country, if there is anything we are taught from birth that is to avoid confrontation. To look away, even when you know things aren’t right. We are molded to ignore, to not take chances with, to be selfish and to act cowardly. What we have learnt from your sons is that looking away is not the solution. It is as if we have lost our voices, our dignity, our self-respect, our conscience by repeatedly looking away each time we are faced with a situation. Nobody deserves to die for standing up for virtue. Reuben and Keenan perhaps achieved what God had planned through them, though it wasn’t the easy way. It’s now up to youth like us who witnessed this ordeal, to take inspiration from their sacrifice and work to get them justice and keep the pyre of fighting for justice burning.

We did not know you or your sons before Oct. 21, 2011, but whatever we learnt about them and their deeds is enough to familiarize us with them and their family. You have indeed nurtured true values of truthfulness, righteousness and “fighting for the right cause” amongst your children. We are proud of you and would like to assure you of our support for any peaceful protest or agitation that may be necessary to get justice to your loved ones.

We aren’t members of any political party or are not associated with the government or judiciary; we are the youth of Vasai - Virar, the suburbs of Mumbai. We are also known as the SVS (Swabhimani Vasaikar Sanghatana) which is a local social outfit that works to address the issues faced by local masses of Vasai. We are greatly touched and feel indebted to your son’s sacrifices, so this letter is just to assure you of our support.

If there is any activity, that you plan to get them the justice they deserve, please feel free to write to us at the below email id or contact us at the below details. We pray that their brave souls may rest in eternal peace.


Author: Ceasor Gonsalves

Team SVS
www.svsvasai.com
Email: svsvasai@gmail.com