Dear Friends,
I was away for a pretty long time from this paradise of expression! But some recent turn of events have got me back here. After studying the various ongoing movements under the banner of 'India Against Corruption' or Baba Ramdev's agitation for nearly a year in context to India's history, I have certain learnings which I would like to share with you.
In the first place, I find the word 'Satyagraha' to be pretty hollow or baseless. To break it up, 'Satya' means 'Truth' and 'Agraha' means 'Insistence'. I really don't think truth needs insistence. Truth cannot be insisted upon. Infact it is exactly opposite. What is not true needs to be insisted! That is why it is a common scene to see the politicians make a big noise of their agendas or any thing for that matter. Truth often goes unnoticed!
None other than the great soul Mahatma Gandhi launched several non violent agitations against the British regime. Millions of Indians joined the movements with unconditional support and Bapu's stature rose to what we know. Something similar is happening today with Sri Anna Hazareji and Baba Ramdevji's movements. Lot of our fellow Indians have joined the movement or have started support campaigns 'I am Anna'. This is typical of a crowd since crowd does not have a thinking mind of its own. It does not question. It takes herculean courage to question the crowd. We are not to be blamed either. A helpless and moderately thinking individual tends to go to the crowd and join hands since he feels secure there and is able to hide is weaknesses. We all join hands in any movement that seems to bring a revolution. We don't even ask ourselves what is revolution. Living conditions change after a revolution, not necessarily for better, they simply change! After our revolution for independence, things have changed in India, not necessarily for better, they have changed.
We don't for one moment ask ourselves is this non violent movement really a non violent movement? Sitting outside somebody's residence or office and threatening to starve or die fasting, is it really non violent? Does really hitting some one black and blue or until he bleeds mean violence? Does inflicting agony mentally not qualify as violence?
We don't know if this movement will stand the test of times. What happens on a day when all the political party workers decide to launch a non violent movement against them who hold them by the sword? The nation will come to a stand still. Are we setting a right example for our generations to follow? We don't want our children to fast unto death if we don't get them the bike of their dreams, do we? I know the magnitude of the example is far different than the movement, but I am talking about the fundamental principle.
Let us come to the meaning of non violence. We think of it to be the opposite of violence. Come to think of it, you would find that non violence is a very impotent word and is not the opposite of violence. Opposite of violence is love. Let me explain. When we do an act of violence, we inflict pain. In an act of non violence, we make it a point that we do not hurt somebody. But does it really ensure that we are giving joy to others, not really. If violence was inflicting pain, opposite could only be giving happiness, joy. Only love can do that, not non violence. Non violence could at best avoid pain or sorrow but doesn't guarantee joy!
What I urge through this medium to my friends is to question their own self before making a choice to support or go against somebody. What we need in today's times is a real ground level movement. A movement that would drive us to change our being, our thinking, our civic sense. And that cannot happen starting from Delhi downwards but from villages to Delhi upwards. What I would also like to add is more women should join and lead the movements because noblest of men could reach till as far as non violence but only women can cross over to love. The greats like Mahatma Gandhi, Mahavira, Gautam Buddha and some others could at best be non violent but could not scale the territories of love. And love is what our society needs badly!
!!!Till the next time, love to all!!!
